Ferrum Technology Services Blog

Your company’s network contains a gold mine of sensitive information that you need to protect at all costs. While it’s absolutely the case that you need to make network security a top priority for your business, thankfully, multiple aspects of your security can be covered easily enough by implementing a single, enterprise-level security solution.

As useful as the Internet is with helping a workforce complete their daily tasks, it is just as capable of having negative effects for your business. There is plenty of content online that has no place in the workplace, including plenty that serves as unwanted distractions. Fortunately, you can prevent your employees from lollygagging on the job with a fairly simple solution: web content filtering.

Every consumer-grade PC comes with a basic firewall. Enterprise environments, however, require that the base infrastructure has a stronger security solution that provides greater controls, above and beyond the basic firewall. One solution that provides enhanced firewall capabilities is the Unified Threat Management system.

Companies that do their business online experience threats from all sides. Therefore, a comprehensive security solution is required. Without one, you’re at risk from malicious websites, spam messages, ransomware, and much more. Designed with the security needs of enterprises in mind, a Unified Threat Management solution can protect your business from every side.

The UTM is a unique tool that combines the top four security features that every business needs. Here is a brief overview of how a UTM protects a company’s sensitive information.

Firewalls
Every computer and device that connects to the Internet needs a firewall. However, the consumer-grade firewall that comes with a PC won’t cut it for the security needs of the average SMB. Instead, a UTM offers enterprises better protection with a strong firewall meant to safeguard an entire IT network. A UTM does this by analyzing the data flowing in and out of a network in order to recognize threats and keep them out. The advantage of having an enterprise-level firewall is that it keeps malware from spreading across your network, a risk that no business owner should have to take.

Antivirus
Antivirus software is also needed, should a threat ever make it past your firewall. Antivirus software works by eliminating any threats found on your network, which includes viruses, malware, spyware, and more. Antivirus software utilized by a UTM makes sure to regularly update itself with the latest threat definitions, and having it be centralized makes it easier to manage and more secure than having a separate antivirus solution for each and every workstation.

Content Filtering
A content filtering solution is a must for companies that have employees browsing the Internet in any fashion. This security tool works by blocking users from accessing websites that host malware. A content filtering tool also gives you the option to block websites you deem to be inappropriate or a waste of time, like social media or pornography. You can also set these limitations on a per user basis, which means responsible employees and management can have more freedom to access the websites they need in order to do their jobs.

With all of the inappropriate content festering in the gutters of the Internet, you need a solution that will protect you, your family, and your office. Implementing a content filtering solution is a great start, but it’s not going to shield you 100 percent from what’s out there. In addition to having a content filter, you need to take an active role in monitoring who’s doing what on the Internet.

As a business owner, you depend on your network security solution to protect your assets. You trust it to do its job without your intervention, but do you know how it works? One of the most basic parts of network security is a firewall. These are the first lines of defense against threats which can potentially steal information or destroy it completely. In order to get the most out of your network security solution, it’s your responsibility to understand how a firewall works.