How a UTM Firewall Can Improve Your Network Security Against Multiple Threats
There’s no stopping the barrage of online threats to business networks. Ransomware attacks have doubled so far in 2019 and new threats like cryptojacking, fileless attacks, and zero-day threats are on the rise.
It’s a never-ending battle between hackers and the application designers that work to build systems to protect networks and devices. For many small businesses, a breach of their network security can mean major costs that seriously impact their business.
Hackers will often target small businesses because their security tends to be easier to breach than larger enterprise corporations. Attack objectives may be to encrypt data and demand a ransom in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars or to break into a database of customer credit card numbers which can then be sold on the Dark Web. But no matter the reason, the costs of weak IT security can be devastating.
60% of small businesses end up closing their doors within 6 months of a data breach.
One of the best insurance policies against a data breach or malware infection is using a firewall with unified threat management (UTM).
A UTM firewall combines several layers of security into a single solution and works to prevent intrusions into your network from multiple entry points. The centralized administration for multiple cybersecurity safeguards also reduces administration time and typically costs less than purchasing each solution separately.
Protecting Your Network from Multiple Threats with a UTM
Trying to ward off all the different online threats a company faces can cause business owners to end up with subscriptions to multiple programs, including antivirus, anti-phishing, firewall, web protection, and more.
What a UTM firewall does is combine all those product features into a single application that’s easier to administer and has consistent protection and reporting across all areas of your technology infrastructure.
Here are several of the benefits of using a UTM firewall for your network security.
Simplified Administration
Instead of needing to work with multiple administrative panels, a UTM firewall gives you a single console from which you can monitor both wired and wireless networks to apply security policies and stay alerted of any threats, no matter where they’re coming from.
Works with Cloud Programs like Office 365
You can control access to your cloud applications through a UTM firewall without any detriment to the application experience. This means that you can control the security profile of all your cloud solutions and give your users a consistent sign in experience across all of them.
Deep Learning Blocks Sophisticated Threats
Today’s UTM firewalls use AI and deep learning to recognize patterns of behavior that signal a potential malware intrusion or other network threat. This allows them to catch even unknown malware without the need to rely on signatures. This keeps you a step ahead of the newest malware variants that are being created every day.
Web Protection
When it comes to phishing emails, links to malicious websites are being used more often than file attachments as a way to try to get past email scanning programs.
UTM firewalls include comprehensive web protection that can keep your users from accidentally visiting a dangerous website and infecting your system with a virus or other dangerous code.
These applications also give you the ability to block non-productive or offensive websites, so they can’t be reached through your network.
Email Protection
Spam and phishing emails pose two distinct problems for user inboxes. One can result in a data breach, while the other wasted countless hours each month as users have to sort through spam to get to legitimate messages.
The email protections included in UTM firewalls give you full SMTP and POP message protection to keep spam and phishing out of your employees’ inboxes, reducing threats and wasted time.
Sandboxing of Threats
Sandboxing offers a higher level of network security than simply scanning files for malicious code. The sandboxing method creates a simulated operating system environment that the questionable file believes is a real computer. The goal is to observe its behavior to see whether it’s safe or not.
Many sophisticated threats mask their behavior in order to get past a traditional antivirus program, then once inside a computer, they reveal themselves. Sandboxing makes a file think it’s made it inside the PC in order to catch malicious code execution.
Server Protection
UTM Firewalls also offer web server protection to prevent hacking attempts and secure access to external users using reverse proxy authentication. You can ensure your server stays clean with antivirus scanning as well.
Comprehensive Reporting
When your entire network security is handled by the same program, reporting is more comprehensive, and you can see an entire view of your cybersecurity profile at a glance.
UTM firewall reporting can include:
- Graphs showing usage trends
- Web activity reports
- Daily executive summary
- Ability to anonymize usernames in reports
Learn More About a UTM Firewall for Your Network
Are you looking for a more integrated way to handle your network security? Quantum PC Services can answer all your questions about UTM firewalls and help you find that one that’s a perfect fit for your budget and security needs.
Contact us today to learn more. Call 920-256-1214 or reach us online.
