Network Firewalls and Security Reference

Firewall Reference (click here)

How to modify a firewall rule for a Web-enabled program in Norton IS 2008

 

Do I have a firewall? Click Here for Operating System Information

 

Do I need a firewall?

The Internet, like any other society, is plagued with the kind of jerks who enjoy
the electronic equivalent of writing on other people's walls with spray paint,
tearing their mailboxes off, or just sitting in the street blowing their car horns.
Some people try to get real work done over the Internet, and others have sensitive
or proprietary data they must protect.

Usually, a firewall's purpose is to keep the jerks out of your network while
still letting you get your job done.

Many traditional-style corporations and data centers have computing security
policies and practices that must be adhered to. In a case where a company's
policies dictate how data must be protected, a firewall is very important,
since it is the embodiment of the corporate policy. Frequently, the hardest
part of hooking to the Internet, if you're a large company, is not
justifying the expense or effort, but convincing management that it's safe
to do so. A firewall provides not only real security--it often plays an important role
as a security blanket for management.

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a system or group of systems that enforces an access control
policy between two networks. The actual means by which this is accomplished
varies widely, but in principle, the firewall can be thought of as a pair of
mechanisms (often contained in one physical component or Computer): one which
exists to block traffic, and the other which exists to permit traffic.
Some firewalls place a greater emphasis on blocking traffic,
while others emphasize permitting traffic. Probably the most important thing
to recognize about a firewall is that it implements an access control
policy.

If you don't have a good idea of what kind of access you want to
allow or to deny, a firewall really won't help you. It's also important to
recognize that the firewall's configuration, because it is a mechanism for
enforcing policy, imposes its policy on everything behind it. Administrators
for firewalls managing the connectivity for a large number of hosts
therefore have a heavy responsibility

Your Operating System may have a firewall built into it, you may also have purchased an Antivirus solution that "filters" or firewalls data. An Example of popular products that include firewall blocking are: Norton Internet Security Suite, McAfee Security, Norton Antivirus - blocks worms which can block internal network connectivity between computers, Zone Alarm, Trend Micro PC Cillin Internet Security, Trend Micro OfficeScan and Symantec Corporate Edition Virus Software.

Firewalls built into Server Operating Systems

Windows Server 2000 - Windows Server 2003 - both are packaged with Routing and Remote Access - also referred to as RRAS. This routing is VERY basic version of a firewall, providing routing to an internal network which protects internal computers from being seen on the Internet.

Security is our #1 concern. Because we are an outsource for our clients, we need them to feel safe and secure using the resources they need access to on the Intranet and Internet. We review new firewall products all the time since new products are being created to meet higher standards all the time. Our product recommendations protect our clients data using the highest standards, which, includes meeting all HIPAA Standards that are required for ALL businesses as of 4/2006. You just found The Best Product On the Market.

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• Scalable--- Solutions scale from telecommuters to small-to-medium sized healthcare providers to large HMOs
  
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Like a "phone tap" or tracing tool, firewalls also generate summaries about the kinds and amounts of traffic passing through and how many attempts are made to break into the network. This logging and auditing function enables the network administrator to comply with the audit controls requirement as outlined in the Technical Safeguards category. SonicWALL offers a complete range of high-performance enterprise-class firewalls that deliver robust security without impacting a network's performance.