Cyber threats constantly evolve, and your business must stay ahead to ensure continuity and the safekeeping of confidential data. In fact, in the United States, it’s estimated that there’s a cyberattack once every 39 seconds, with more than 2,200 attacks occurring globally daily. Even more concerning is that businesses are experiencing increased attacks, further underscoring the importance of ensuring your systems are safe and secure.
While cyberattacks can threaten any business, they’re especially common in the healthcare, financial services, industrial services, technology and energy sectors due to the perceived value in the data these types of firms often hold. As an expert IT services provider, Nettology has the experience, expertise and robust support team to help elevate your cybersecurity with proven firewall services, no matter the market you’re in. Nettology engineers have over 20 years of experience in firewall services and networking, and can tailor solutions to meet your company’s unique needs and compliance requirements, ultimately providing peace of mind and real-time protection for your business.
Read on to learn more about our industry-leading firewall implementation and configuration services and how Nettology goes the extra mile to keep your business and its data safe.
Introduction to Firewall Security
In today’s digitally driven world, cyber threats continually evolve, making robust cybersecurity measures crucial for protecting your network from malicious activities. A firewall is a significant part of any cybersecurity strategy. Specifically, a firewall is a network security device or software program that monitors and controls all incoming and outgoing network traffic based on defined rules and permissions. Think of a firewall as a barrier between your internal network and all other types of web traffic that could come your way.
Here’s a look at what a good firewall can help achieve:
- Blocking traffic that doesn’t comply with your company’s predetermined access rules and regulations.
- Monitor and control incoming and outgoing traffic.
- Protect your internal network from unauthorized access, harmful activities and any potential cyber threats.
- Protection from malicious activity and data breaches.
A firewall is like a trusted gatekeeper regarding a network’s security. With more than 1.35 million United States residents impacted by data breaches in 2024 alone, your company can’t afford to take shortcuts with its network security. Failure to have the proper protocol in place could put your data at risk and significantly impact your business reputation. In fact, even beyond any monetary commitment, the effect on your company’s reputation is believed to be the most significant consequence of a data breach.
The 7 Essential Steps to Successful Firewall Implementation
At Nettology, we follow a proven seven-step process for successful firewall implementation. From assessing your network needs to regular reviews and a dedication to continuous improvement, read on for a thorough overview of each step and what’s involved throughout the process:
Step 1: Assess Your Network Needs
Before implementing a firewall, it’s vital to assess your network’s specific needs and understand its architecture, including the number of users, types of devices and the nature of the data being transmitted. Larger organizations will likely have more intense firewall needs based on their size and the number of users, and vice versa. Nettology will start by conducting a comprehensive overview of your business to properly determine its network infrastructure and guide us in providing the right solutions. From here, and with your help, we’ll be able to decide on:
- Firewall configuration and rules
- Access control and authentication
- Monitoring and logging
- Inspection and threat protection
Step 2: Choose the Right Type of Firewall
Firewalls come in various forms, each suited for different network environments and security requirements. The main types include: Packet-Filtering Firewalls, Stateful Inspection Firewalls, Proxy Firewalls and Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW). Here’s an overview:
- Packet filtering: These firewalls examine individual data packets based on IP addresses, port numbers and more.
- Stateful inspection: These firewalls track network connectors and their state, thereby allowing them to make better, more informed decisions about web traffic flow.
- Proxy: Also known as application-level gateways, proxy firewalls work by inspecting network traffic content and filtering based on a specific set of rules.
- NGFW: True to their name, these combine packet filtering, stateful inspection, and application-level inspection with more advanced capabilities. These capabilities may include intrusion prevention, content filtering and threat intelligence.
There are also various types of firewall delivery methods. Hardware firewalls are physical devices that help safeguard a network, while software firewalls are programs installed on devices. Firewalls may also be cloud-based, which helps streamline management and offer scalability benefits.
Step 3: Develop a Comprehensive Security Policy
A firewall is only as effective as the security policies it enforces. Develop comprehensive security policies that define what traffic is allowed or denied, based on your organization’s needs and security posture.
For example, a company that must protect sensitive data may institute a policy restricting access to ensure its database remains confidential. Conversely, a business that works with external vendors may develop a statement designed to protect its internal systems from web threats.
These policies should be translated into secure firewall rules that control traffic based on IP ranges, user roles, application behavior and protocol type. When you update firewall rules, it helps reduce security risks and supports compliance with industry regulations.
Step 4: Implementation & Configuration Process
The next step is configuration and deployment once you’ve selected the appropriate firewall and developed security policies. Incorrect configurations can leave your network vulnerable, so following best practices is crucial.
Depending on the complexity of your network, most firewalls can be implemented and configured within 1 to 3 hours. We tend to schedule these after regular business hours to minimize any inconvenience.
Firewall Deployment (Implementation)
The typical firewall deployment process includes key stages such as planning, design, installation, configuration, testing and ongoing maintenance. Deployment best practices are designed to ensure that your firewall protects against cyber threats while maintaining the network performance your business needs to operate.
Firewall Configuration (Technical Setup)
Firewall configuration involves setting rules and firewall policies to determine how a firewall performs with network traffic. All firewalls should have rules that specify which traffic is permitted and which is blocked based on factors such as destination IP addresses, ports, protocols and more. Configuration is also often done based on firewall zones, which are groups of networks or devices that form a network zone structure designed to segment and control traffic flow within and outside the organization.
Depending on your business’s size and scale, your firewall will likely have inbound rules, outbound rules, network address translation rules, security rules, access rules and more— many of which are based on internal IP addresses to help control and segment internal traffic safely and effectively.
Step 5: Continuous Monitoring and Management
Implementing a firewall is not a one-time task. Continuous monitoring and firewall management are essential to ensure ongoing protection against emerging threats. Some monitoring strategies include security audits, assessing logs and examining rule documentation. At Nettology, we offer an ITAssist Plan to help address your company’s unique firewall monitoring needs to ensure that you’re protected against all the latest external threats.
Step 6: Employee Training and Awareness
A firewall alone cannot guarantee security if your employees are unaware of various best practices to keep your network safe. Conduct regular training sessions to educate your staff about cybersecurity threats. By educating your staff about these threats and network best practices, you can minimize the risk of human error and empower them to recognize phishing attempts and other hazardous web activity more effectively. We also suggest that your company implement strong password practices, enable multi-factor authentication, document and share any incidents to help people learn from experiences, and work to create a culture that promotes network security.
Step 7: Regular Reviews and Updates
Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and so should your firewall strategy. Review and update your firewall configuration, security policies and overall network security posture regularly. For most companies, an annual review is in order. However, if your network is more dynamic or your company is more high-risk, then reviewing quarterly or even monthly may make sense to ensure your firewall remains effective against all threats.
Beyond regular reviews, it’s also vital to ensure that your firewall software and firmware remain updated with the latest patches to safeguard your network against emerging threats.
Troubleshooting Common Firewall Issues
Some of the most common firewall issues that companies face include problems verifying configurations, managing firewall logs, testing connectivity, and identifying and resolving potential conflicts. Businesses must systematically manage their firewall issues, from misconfigured rules to DNS issues, to identify and fix them as they arise. Here’s a closer look at some of the common firewall issues and how to fix them:
- Verifying configurations: Your network firewall should allow intended web traffic while blocking out threats and unauthorized access. This can be optimized by regularly examining logs for errors or warnings, keeping firmware current and properly managing any conflicting firewall settings.
- Testing connectivity: Ping and traceroutes can help your company identify network connectivity and see where any web traffic may be getting blocked.
- Carefully examine network indicators: Look for evidence of network issues and review VPN protocol. In some cases, improper configuration of dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) can lead to IP conflicts or connectivity problems that affect firewall performance.
Additionally, an expert IT services provider can help perform advanced troubleshooting by implementing debugging tools, conducting firewall monitoring and more to ensure that your firewall is working as your company wants and needs it to.
Secure Your Network with Expert Firewall Services
For more information on Nettology’s comprehensive firewall implementation and configuration services, contact us today to schedule a consultation. With decades of experience providing industry-leading firewall services and IT support to help keep your company’s systems operational and secure, we offer real-time protection and peace of mind so you can focus more on what you do best — running your business.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and to schedule a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between firewall implementation and configuration?
Implementation focuses on installing a firewall, while configuration focuses on the technical rules and settings to keep your internal network safe and secure. Firewall configuration is typically ongoing, as IT service providers need to be proactive when defining and managing rules and settings over time.
How long does a typical firewall implementation process take?
The timeline for a firewall implementation depends on various factors, notably the size and sophistication of your IT network, the type of firewall being implemented and any specific configuration requirements that need to be met. In some cases, firewall implementation can be completed within a few hours. For more robust IT networks, implementation may take longer. At Nettology, we make every effort to quickly and effectively implement your system’s firewall to minimize internet downtime.
Do I need different firewalls for different parts of my network?
In most cases, the answer is “no.” A single firewall is more than sufficient to protect most businesses from outside threats adequately. However, properly configuring firewall interfaces within that firewall can help manage traffic between different segments of your network, such as internal systems and guest networks.
What are the most critical settings to configure in any firewall?
The most important settings involve access control and security hardening. Access control lists, or ACLs, are rules that dictate allowable traffic and connections, while denying everything else that isn’t on the list. Security hardening is a set of rules and regulations on the types of passwords allowed, as well as multi-factor authentication, logging and monitoring, and more.
How restrictive should my initial firewall rules be?
We usually suggest starting with the most restrictive rules possible and loosening them as necessary. This helps ensure maximum security and helps minimize overall risk. More restrictive firewall approaches also tend to allow only essential traffic, improve overall network performance and enhance compliance.
How do I know if my firewall configuration is effectively protecting my network?
Several factors can be assessed to determine this, the most significant being monitoring, analysis, regular audits and network maintenance. By assessing these factors, you can understand how effectively your firewall and its current configuration are performing and if any adjustments need to be made.
