
It looks for known malware signatures and blocks data packets from entering a network if it finds malicious code. How does Firewall Technology Work?įirewall technology works differently depending on the type of firewall you employ, but basically, it examines incoming traffic to make sure it’s all legitimate. Firewalls protect both on-premises and cloud environments. IT can set rules about what is and isn’t allowed through the firewall, and then security admins can alter the rules as they gain additional information. Types of FirewallsĪ firewall is a piece of hardware or software that filters incoming network traffic to keep malware and attackers out.

There are many different types of firewalls, each of which works in different ways to protect different types of resources, both within data centers and corporate perimeters and outside in the cloud.

In the broadest terms, firewalls are like bouncers or doormen: They stand at the entrances to corporate networks, applications, databases, and other resources, scrutinizing incoming (and outgoing) data traffic, and deciding what can pass through those entrances and what to reject.īut the term “firewall” is far too broad to be of much use to IT security buyers. Firewalls are as central to IT security as antivirus programs are to PCs, and the multi-billion-dollar market remains large and growing.
