Why small businesses need managed firewall support

The internet is filled with malicious entities that are constantly looking for data to exploit. Firewalls offer protection from them by blocking unauthorized access to your network. They’re necessary tools that ensure that internet traffic that does not meet specified security criteria don’t gain access to your system.

Setting up, configuring, and managing firewalls are necessary to protect businesses’ confidential information. The only problem is that many business leaders don’t have the time to learn everything there is to know about firewalls. For small- or medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that don’t have the resources to manage firewalls themselves, managed firewall solutions can help.

How managed firewall solutions help

Managed firewall solutions cover all the aspects of operating a firewall, including the administration, monitoring, and maintenance of an organization’s firewall infrastructure. Many managed IT services providers (MSPs) that offer firewall management services may also handle the installation, enable web content filtering, manage patches and updates, provide feedback and analysis, and more. It all depends on the comprehensiveness of the services they offer and an organization’s needs.

Having your firewalls properly maintained is crucial in making sure that the flow of sensitive data in your networks is safe from prying eyes. Unprotected data increases the risk of a data breach, which could lead to huge financial losses. Despite these risks, some businesses still remain hesitant to work with an MSP to manage their firewalls.

If you’ve decided that your business in New York could use managed firewall solutions, getting in touch with an MSP like Hudson Valley IT Services is the logical next step. Here are some good reasons why you should.

#1. Technology is not your core expertise

There are certain IT tasks that anyone with a little tech savvy can do; firewall management is not one of those tasks. To effectively manage firewalls, your IT team must know how to respond to firewall warnings and determine which programs within your entire IT infrastructure are safe and which ones are most vulnerable. Your IT team, which already has a lot on their hands, probably can’t afford to dedicate huge chunks of their time managing firewalls.

Even experienced computer users may not know how to install or configure firewalls on a single PC, much less for an entire IT network. MSPs can more efficiently manage your firewalls because they have the critical skills needed to guarantee that no security threats are overlooked, while also ensuring that your IT infrastructure is well-maintained.

#2. Meet compliance requirements

Does your business handle or store data of EU-based customers? Then you must have more than a passing familiarity with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the governing laws on data protection and privacy for individuals in the EU. The GDPR requires a network security upgrade that bolsters the protection of consumer data. Aside from the GDPR, other regulatory authorities require organizations to adopt cybersecurity solutions that protect against myriad threats to consumers’ data.

For regulated businesses, managed firewalls are necessary to comply with the strict rules set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and GDPR. Compliance rules change often and are becoming more complex, which is why ensuring compliance requires dedicated experts.

#3. Understand what firewalls can’t do

There are some things that firewalls can’t do. A firewall won’t be of much help to your systems if an employee unwittingly clicks a malware-infected link in a phishing email. Ditto spam, which are direct security threats that advanced firewalls can’t combat. Moreover, firewalls can’t protect your computers and network from internal threats posed by disgruntled employees who maliciously leak business data for personal gain.

Employees who visit social media, gaming, and video streaming sites also pose a risk, especially if your office network’s URL filtering and application controls aren’t properly configured. A managed firewall solutions provider can help you manage both external and internal threats. Working with an MSP shifts the burden to trained experts who will diligently ensure your computers and business data are always safe.

Not installing firewalls to protect your computers and network is like freely giving away your company data to hackers. Hudson Valley IT Services LLC helps SMBs in Middletown, Orange County, Bergen County, and surrounding areas bolster their IT systems with comprehensive cybersecurity solutions. Call our IT support team today and let us know how we can help.