Numerous harmful programs and hackers are active online, and they want to steal your personal information or get into your computer network system. A home networking firewall keeps those hackers from getting into your home network, just like a security fence does.
However, this statement is barely enough to describe how significant firewalls actually are. So, in this article, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about home network firewalls. Our discussion will also cover the common types of firewalls and additional tips to maximize their benefits. Continue reading to learn how to create a secure home network.
What’s a Network Firewall?
Firewalls are security devices for networks that regulate incoming and outgoing data packets according to established policies. Their principal function is to protect a reliable internal network from more shady outside networks. Firewalls can be either software- or hardware-based, and they filter incoming data packets according to predefined policies. They then either permit or exclude them. Organizations can decide whether to allow or reject internet traffic using these policies depending on factors like-
- Protocol type
- Source and destination IP addresses
- Port numbers
Why Are Firewalls Important?
When it comes to protecting private networks from intruders, firewalls are the first line of defense. These vital home network security measures forestall the intrusion or overloading of a network by malicious actors, such as hackers or bots, who would otherwise steal sensitive information. Here are some reasons why firewalls matter:
- A firewall prevents attacks from hackers trying to access your network through the internet. This keeps unauthorized people from stealing, deleting, or messing up your personal data and information.
- When threats come from outside a network, firewalls protect the devices and data inside it.
- Firewalls also keep an eye on traffic inside your home to make sure that private information sent between computers on the same network stays safe.
- All users on a network are subject to the rules set by a firewall. This uniformly blocks incoming traffic from specific sites.
- Firewalls keep track of all the data that comes in through the network. This helps administrators make rules or run audits.
- To further raise awareness of possible dangers, firewalls notify users whenever questionable data tries to access the network.
- Firewalls permit authorized users to securely access a network from a remote location. Authentication certificates are sent to authorized users, guaranteeing secure connections for remote work.
Different Types of Home Networking Firewall and Examples
Network firewalls do not have to be in a single configuration to perform the above-mentioned functions. They can be of several types, each with a unique structure and application. Let’s check them out:
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Packet-Filtering Firewalls
One of the first kinds of firewalls, known as packet-filtering firewalls, sorts incoming data into smaller pieces called packets. A packet-filtering firewall checks the integrity of data packets before allowing them to communicate with other connected devices. This check mainly entails examining data packets for potential threats.
Packet-filtering firewalls come in two categories: stateful and stateless. The former analyzes packets within the context of a network connection. On the other hand, the latter examines them in isolation as separate packets.
One main purpose of packet filtering is to examine the header information in each packet. This information is like a jigsaw puzzle. Your computer can use this header information to put the file back together.
The header contains important information, such as the source address and the connection protocol. A packet-filtering firewall looks into this information to confirm whether everything is okay or not. For example, the firewall might look for the answers to the following questions in the header and take appropriate actions:
- Does the IP address belong to Facebook or a host that has been blacklisted?
- The protocol in question is TCP, right?
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Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW)
Next-generation firewalls (NGFW) take the analysis game a bit deeper than their packet-filtering counterparts. Instead of stopping at message header information, NGFWs analyze the contents of incoming packets and the programs (e.g., your browser) set to receive them. The goal is to determine if a connection poses a threat.
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Proxy Firewalls
A proxy firewall is a third party that mediates the connection between two servers. When you connect your computer to the internet, another device, like a web server, can act as an intermediary through a proxy server or a reverse proxy server. You can specify which data types to pass through and which to ignore when configuring a proxy between two devices.
In contrast to proxy firewalls, which operate at the application level (e.g., on HTTP – hypertext transfer protocol), traditional firewalls operate at the TCP (transmission control protocol) level. When we surf the web, we use HTTP, and a proxy firewall protects traffic at this level.
Nowadays, the vast majority of websites employ HTTPS (hypertext transfer protocol secure). It merely encrypts HTTP to provide an extra layer of security.
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Network Address Translation (NAT) Firewalls
The network address translation (NAT) process reroutes data to a particular device that shares an IP address. This is useful for households that use a single IP address. Our current IPv4 system, which is gradually giving way to IPv6, does not have enough IP addresses. So, NAT is necessary.
Unfortunately, NAT firewalls are not very convenient, but they do have some security benefits. For example, if you install a firewall at the router level, the data that distinguishes your device from all others sharing the public IP address can be protected from malicious network activity before it reaches your private IP address.
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Stateful Multilayer Inspection (SMLI) Firewalls
Stateful multilayer inspection firewalls conduct a thorough data inspection to detect potential security threats. By “stateful inspection,” we mean that each packet is examined in relation to all other packets that are being sent over the network. This sort of inspection is necessary because, otherwise, packets would be checked independently.
Multilayer inspection tests a packet at each of the seven levels of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. This model is the standard for internet communications. Though they may cause a slight slowdown in your traffic, SMLI firewalls are extremely advanced and secure because of this.
Networking Firewall Security Tips
No matter which type of firewall device you set up for your home network, some suggestions are significant to getting the best out of them. If you want your firewall to be as secure as possible, you should follow these steps:
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Always Keep Your Firewall On
Leaving your firewall disabled in order to access a single network or device can expose your entire device to potential vulnerabilities. Instead of attempting to gain access to a different network or device, you should modify your firewall rules to allow the desired device.
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Update Your OS or Firewall Software
Always use the most recent version of any firewall software that comes with your operating system (OS) or device. If your OS or firewall is outdated, your device could be at risk of security breaches and exploits.
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Use a VPN Alongside a Firewall
Virtual private networks (VPNs) encrypt all of your device’s data traffic before it reaches the internet. Consequently, VPNs make your data even more secure than a firewall. However, on rare occasions, firewalls and VPNs can actually work against each other. In such cases, you might need to make some adjustments to the packet or application rules of your firewall.
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Don’t Allow Unknown Requests
If the firewall rules you have set up do not cover a suspicious request, you will probably be asked to approve or reject the connection. Any request that looks suspicious or attempts to bypass your firewall’s security should be denied immediately. Once you have a chance to investigate the blocked attempt, you can update the rules of your firewall as needed.
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Install Extra Security Software
Firewalls are fantastic at preventing harmful network traffic from reaching your device. But they will not stop malicious apps that you might install accidentally. Installing a reliable malware scanner tool will provide more comprehensive security against malware and other threats.
Conclusion
Firewalls, that can be software or hardware-based, control network data packets to keep threats from getting into private networks. Firewalls screen data based on rules like IP address, port number, and protocol type. By blocking unauthorized entry, firewalls keep hackers from getting to private data. They watch the traffic, make sure everyone follows the same rules, and let users know when something seems fishy.
There are various types of firewalls, including packet-filtering, next-generation, proxy, network address translation, and stateful multilayer inspection. No matter what the type, it’s key to keep firewalls on at all times. Besides, combining firewalls with VPNs and avoiding accepting requests from unknown sources are strongly advised. Another option for increasing security is to install additional security software.
However, network security is significant not only for homes but also for businesses. In fact, due to the complexities of business operations, network security professionals must constantly audit those networks. This is something Crown Computers excels at. For more than 20 years, we have been providing security for small businesses in San Diego. Any business that takes its network security seriously is welcome to discover our services. Call us now!