Imagine you are responsible for all the computers and networks within an entire organization. What would be your top priority and first concern? It would probably be the performance and integrity of the systems. How would go about ensuring that every workstation, every connection, and every computer was safe from malware and hackers as well as securing the privacy and safety of each individual user? That sounds like quite a big job. You could put top of the line antivirus software on each computer. You could have a long list of safety protocols for each employee to follow to try and maintain safe behavior from the users’ end. But what if you found out about a way to protect your entire network, its users, and the organization, while also able to maintain set protocols among the users within the organization. It would probably sound like a miracle solution. Well that miracle solution exists. It’s called a firewall. But then the question for you becomes what is the best firewall software? How would you go about trying to identify and implement the best firewall?
This is not an easy question to answer. The typical way firewalls work is by forming a barrier between the intranet networks within your organization and the worldwide Internet. The safety of your intranet first depends on the security that firewall can provide from external threats. One characteristic of the best firewall would definitely be an extremely good antivirus protection program. One of the quickest ways to lose your job as a systems administrator is to be inadequately protected from basic viral threats such as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, phishing attempts, and other malicious code. Once you have established the antivirus protection of the firewall, you need to be sure the firewall protects your network intranets from unauthorized access by external users.
Because your intranets are connected to the Internet, it would be possible for someone to access the databases and information stored there. Depending on what kind of organization this is, that information could potentially be the vital and sensitive personal information of clients or customers. Surely a characteristic of the best firewall software would be a seal against any such breach. There must be no way that a hacker or anyone without explicit access, within or outside the organization, could access this personal information.
Another characteristic of the best firewall software would be the governing of intranet and Internet access of each individual employee. Depending on the responsibilities and seniority of each employee, access to certain parts of organizational databases, other areas of intranet networks, and the Internet may be limited or even entirely shut off. All these measures are to protect the security of your employees and of the information stored within your organization. A firewall that is worth considering should have all these features.
The Best Free Firewall website has additional information that you might find useful.