Firewall and Unified Threat Management (UTM)

• Firewall and UTM (Unified Threat Management) are key network security concepts.

Understanding the Firewall

• Software or dedicated hardware/software unit
• Selectively blocks or allows data packets
• Prevents malicious activity
• Prevents unauthorized web activities from inside or outside a private network

Overview of UTM

• Consolidates several network security functions into one unit
• Safeguards users with anti-virus software, content filters, email and web filtering, and spam protection
• Centralizes IT security functions in a single appliance
• Streamlines network defenses
• Tracks and manages security-related risks from a central location
• Achieves streamlined visibility into all components of security or wireless infrastructure

How Unified Threat Management Works

• Traditionally, businesses use separate security technologies for different types of cybercrime
• UTM combines many network security functions into a single appliance
• Obviates the need for various point products
• UMT tools inspect incoming and outgoing traffic for threats at the network's edge
• Detects malicious traffic, preventing access to malicious websites using deep packet inspection (DPI)
• Security teams can use UTM's unified management console to oversee all functions

Advantages of UTM

• Saves time and effort by reducing the number of individual security solutions to manage
• Consolidates separate security tools into one centralized platform allowing for quicker reaction
• Simplifies setup, maintenance, and updates compared to standalone options
• Reduces expenses by replacing several security products
• Versatile, able to accommodate and incorporate emerging security capabilities
• Consolidates monitoring and administration into a single interface
• Increases security team productivity by eliminating the need to switch between dashboards
• Streamlines the creation of least privilege-based access controls
• Eases adherence to PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR

Unified Threat Management Functions

• IDS and IPS
  • IDS watches for indications of cyber-attacks
  • IPS actively halts attacks by blocking harmful traffic
  • IDS identifies suspicious activities for investigation, documentation, and reporting
  • IPS redirects network traffic to prevent attacks
  • IDS and firewall systems can be upgraded by adding IPS functionality
• VPN (Virtual Private Network)
  • Securely links two devices via an insecure network, like the Internet
  • Enables safe file sharing, remote data access, etc.
  • Secure, encrypted link over the internet, protecting data as it moves between networks
• Anti-Spam Services
  • Monitors email for malicious indicators
  • Algorithms examine message content
  • Bayesian analysis hunts for single words
  • Some focus on linguistic or whole-word patterns
  • Messages labeled as spam or malware based on criteria
• Firewalls
  • Hardware or software that prevents unauthorized network access
  • Prevents individuals from accessing sensitive information
  • Types: packet filtering, circuit-level gateways, application-level gateways
• Data Loss Prevention
  • Detects and stops data breaches and exfiltration
  • Monitors sensitive information and blocks unauthorized attempts to steal it
• URL Filtering
  • Blocks users from accessing certain URLs/websites
  • Prevents browser from downloading pages
  • Can block access to social media sites during work hours etc.
• App Control
  • Application control matches subsets of web traffic to models
  • Can differentiate traffic types using established standards
• Content Filtering
  • Uses IP address filtering, port number clarifying and MAC address filtering
  • Prevents transmission of sensitive data and dissemination of undesired content

Antivirus

• Detects and stops viruses from damaging the system via signature databases that are storehouses containing the profiles of viruses

Anti-malware

• Protects network against malware by detecting and responding
• Can be preconfigured to detect known malware
• Novel malware threats that use heuristic analysis in which rules analyze the behavior and characteristics of files
• Can use sandboxing as an anti-malware measure: a cell inside the computer catches the suspicious file

Firewall

• Scans incoming and outgoing traffic for viruses, malware, phishing, spam, attempts to intrude on the network, and other cybersecurity threats
• Prevents devices within the network from spreading malware

Intrusion Prevention

• Intrusion prevention capability, which detects then prevents attacks
• Commonly referred to as an intrusion detection system (IDS) or intrusion prevention system (IPS)
• IPS Analyzes packets of data, looking for patterns known to exist in threats
• IPS stops the attack upon detection of a matching pattern

NGFWs Vs UTM

• The differences between next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) and unified threat management (UTM) depends on the specific NGFW in question
• Both provide secure network fortification
• There is always the risk that you will end up with unused services when using a UTM
• May be more effort required to incorporate them into the existing network
• NGFWs allow a choice of capabilities
• Traditional UTMs can struggle to keep up

Virtual Private Networking (VPN)

• UTM feature similar to regular VPN infrastructure
• Creates a private network tunneling through the public internet
• Allows users to send and receive data without others seeing

Data Loss Prevention

• Detects data breaches and exfiltration attempts then prevents them
• Monitors sensitive data
• Blocks attempt when a malicious actor tries to steal the data

Web filtering

• Prevents users from seeing specific websites
• Stops user's browsers from loading sites

Benefits of Using a Unified Threat Management Solution

• A flexible solution to handle the assortment of networking setups available in the modern business infrastructure

Centralized Integration and Management

• Can consolidate everything and use a single management console
• Can monitor several threats simultaneously

Cost effectiveness

• In comparison to setting up individually, UTM is cost effective
• Reduces manpower costs

Faster Security Solution for Business

• Can Streamline data while using few resources at the same time