What to know about firewalls and cybersecurity
Firewalls have long been used to avert disasters. A firewall is a barrier that stops fire from invading another space. Building codes for commercial and industrial structures typically require them as a safety measure. In natural areas, forestry teams may clear vegetation and create a barrier firewall to contain a potentially devastating forest fire.
In our digital world, cyberthreats are the fire threatening network infrastructure and can wreak havoc on a business. Malware, ransomware, phishing, viruses, hackers and denial of service (DoS) attacks are some of the threats businesses face. According to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), “By preventing attacks or mitigating the spread of an attack as quickly as possible, cyberthreat actors lose their power. Any cyber-attack, no matter how small, is a threat to our national security and must be identified, managed, and shut down.”
Today, any organization that relies on the internet, should have a firewall implemented to safeguard the network, and sensitive data. It’s important to understand key firewall requirements that align with your organization’s needs.
Firewall cybersecurity checklist
Both large enterprises and small businesses across all sectors such as finance, healthcare, retail, legal, technology, manufacturing and others can suffer greatly from a data breach. Here are some cybersecurity factors to evaluate.
- What cybersecurity tools and technologies are you currently using?
- How does your business respond to a cyberattack?
- Are there regular software and firmware updates and patch management on existing firewalls to ensure security remains effective?
- Are your firewalls proactively maintained and monitored 24×7 by skilled network and security engineers?
- Is your IT staff experienced and up to date with training and certifications to adequately configure and support network firewalls?
- Are you using multiple providers for networking and security that could lead to confusion when an incident arises?
- Does backhauling network traffic to a centralized firewall cause slow network performance?
GPC Managed Firewall powered by Fortinet® lets you focus on what matters to your organization
The Great Plains Communications (GPC) solution is our GPC Managed Firewall. This solution paired with managed security services will free your IT team to focus on strategic initiatives while providing the peace of mind that comes from knowing your networks are protected by best-in-class technology and supported by experienced, expert technical security engineers.
Capabilities of GPC’s Managed Firewall powered by Fortinet:
- 24x7x365 proactive monitoring from a SOC II certified Security Operations Center (SOC) staffed by security engineers. Block malicious traffic before it hits your network.
- Regular software updates and patch management help protect against new vulnerabilities.
- Access to experienced security experts to configure, monitor and manage your network firewalls.
- A single provider and point of contact for Internet, SD-WAN and security services.
- Network security and SD-WAN management enables internal IT teams to focus on the core business.
- Cloud, hybrid and on-premises environments are supported with advanced threat intelligence and automation for proactive network defense.
Whether it’s a fire or a cyberattack, remaining vigilant and keeping up with potentially devastating threats is an ongoing battle. GPC’s Managed Firewall service provides advanced capabilities to oversee and manage the security of your network – from installation and configuration to incident response and reporting – to ensure robust security 24 hours a day.
To learn more about GPC’s Managed Firewall product, click here or contact gpcenterprise@gpcom.com or 833.341.2324.
