Firewalls and Web Filtering, Why Your Business Needs Both

One of the biggest benefits to the modern business is the scope and breadth of the Internet that connects them with potential and current clients and allows them to communicate their goods and services. This scope and breadth are also one of its biggest pitfalls, as there is plenty of room for the multitude of threats and other potential issues to reside as they menace businesses everywhere.

As a result, a business can’t afford to risk operating on the Internet unprotected. Fortunately for intrepid entrepreneurs and online operators everywhere, there are solutions expressly designed to protect them against such malicious malcontents: web filtering and firewall solutions.

Web filtering and firewall implementation work as opposite sides of the same coin while a user navigates online.

• A web filtering solution is a fancy term for a specialized program that examines web pages to check for threats or other potential problems before the user can access the site. Based on predetermined rules, the filter can block portions of the page from sight, or just bar access entirely.
• Firewall solutions are portions of a system or network that prevent those without authorization from accessing its contents while still permitting communications to be sent outwards, providing your data protection against hackers and spyware. Depending on the system setup, a firewall solution could be a piece of hardware, software, or a combination of the two.

It’s not uncommon for businesses to utilize web filtering and firewall for reasons other than security as well. For example, are you concerned that your employees have been less-than-diligent during work hours, perhaps visiting retail or entertainment websites when they should be completing their work-related duties? Web filtering can allow you to block their access to such sites while on your network. Furthermore, by preventing spyware and other unwanted bits and bytes of data from entering your network, a firewall can help keep your business operations running at full efficiency--allowing your employees to more easily reach their peak productivity.

SMART Services can help you ensure your computing activities are safe, secure and streamlined to best benefit your business activities. Plus, we can help you be sure that your solutions are up to snuff. Give us a call at 586 258-0650 to ask about our networking security solutions today.