What are the Essential Features to Look for in a Next Generation Firewalls Solution?

A firewall is a technological security system that is designed to keep your online domain safe from cyber threats. Next Generation Firewalls (NGFW) is the new and better versions of traditional firewalls. What do you need to look for in NGFWs? Apart from the basics, next generation firewalls should have the following features:

Next Generation Firewalls Features:

Geolocation

Using geolocation, your NGFW can restrict access or activity from specific countries. Geolocation features also allow you to create a special NAT (or Network Address Translation) that can redirect all traffic from a specific region to one internet server. This feature, however, requires regular updates because IP address allocations frequently change.

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) or Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can help analyze incoming traffic for a potential cyber attack, while an Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) can help prevent the network packet from being delivered. Both devices analyze signatures to determine threats. This feature also needs regular upgrades because new attacks are formed constantly.

Malware protection or anti-virus

Your next generation firewall should examine every download and upload, allowing them only if they pass the signature-based analysis.

Sandboxing

This is another form of malware detection. A sandbox is a virtual machine that mimics common operating systems such as Windows. This feature of next generation firewalls can intercept a downloaded file and take it to the sandbox where it is run. During this run, the sandbox detects any malicious behavior. This feature often catches new malware varieties and works better for encrypted downloads.

Next generation firewalls or NGFWs are among the latest developments in cyber security. Whatever the size of your business, company, or network, you can certainly benefit from investing in next generation firewalls. Talk to a trusted IT solutions provider in the region to get started.