The current cyber threat landscape requires the implementation of security solutions capable of effectively addressing modern cyber threats. Traditional protection systems based on previous-generation firewalls have proven insufficient over time to counter emerging advanced attacks.
Complex malware and advanced cyberespionage campaigns are increasingly challenging legacy perimeter security systems. It is therefore essential to implement solutions capable of advanced corporate protection, constantly monitoring the growing threat landscape and applying highly granular security policies. Modern Next Generation Firewalls fully meet these stringent needs, thanks to their multiple inspection, prevention, and threat intelligence capabilities.
Through their in-depth traffic analysis capabilities, including encrypted traffic, and integration with IDS/IPS systems, they enable proactive response to increasingly sophisticated APT attacks and malware. Furthermore, by simplifying security operations and integrating automated workflows, they represent a significant step forward towards establishing efficient Security Operation Centers.
Next Generation Firewall: What is it
A Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) is an active protection device specifically designed to effectively address modern cyber threats. It combines the functionality of a traditional firewall with advanced application packet inspection and intrusion prevention (IPS) systems.
An NGFW performs a deep analysis of each individual transaction, allowing it to precisely identify the application or protocol used within each communication flow. Through its ability to inspect packets at different levels of the TCP/IP protocol stack, the NGFW is able to acquire additional information compared to a traditional firewall, thus enabling it to apply more accurate and effective security policies. Inline control of application requests allows the NGFW to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic, nipping potential attacks based on targeted exploits of known vulnerabilities in the bud.
The integration of advanced intrusion prevention capabilities within the same device greatly simplifies the design of environmentally friendly and high-performance cybersecurity networks. Therefore, a Next Generation Firewall represents the perfect combination of network security and application threat protection, constituting a fundamental element for protecting the corporate perimeter and information assets from increasingly sophisticated and targeted attacks.
Next Generation Firewall NGFW: Advanced Features
Modern Next Generation Firewalls stand out for their specific advanced features developed specifically to effectively combat the latest cyber threats. A key feature is undoubtedly the deep packet inspection capability, which allows the device to gain application-level awareness of traffic in transit, analyzing its content all the way down to the upper TCP/IP layers.
Using Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technology, NGFWs are able to perform a detailed analysis of each individual transaction, uniquely identifying the protocol and application used. By examining communication flows, the firewall is able to obtain additional information beyond simple filter checks, such as source and destination IP addresses or TCP/UDP ports. The ability to inspect packets even at the application level allows the device to accurately distinguish, for example, between a normal HTTP session and an attack based on the same port used by browsers, but encoded to bypass lower-level controls.
This allows for the application of extremely granular and targeted security policies, proactively blocking threats before they even reach the resources being protected. Another important function is the intrusion prevention system, capable of constantly monitoring network activity, identifying potential attacks based on known signatures or behavioral anomalies.
Also important is the ability to perform granular user identification, which allows each individual transaction to be associated with the digital identity of the responsible party. An NGFW also has the ability to thoroughly inspect traffic encrypted using TLS/SSL, enabling the detection of potential threats hidden within seemingly secure flows. Thanks to such advanced performance, modern Next Generation Firewalls play a fundamental role in designing effective and flexible cybersecurity solutions, capable of proactively addressing potential vulnerabilities in the corporate network.
NGFWs VS Traditional Firewalls
Traditional firewalls and modern Next Generation Firewalls have significant structural differences, proving to be distinctly different solutions for addressing cybersecurity needs. Legacy firewalls operate primarily at the network and transport layers of the TCP/IP model, applying security policies based solely on IP addresses and ports.
This approach has proven increasingly limited over time, rendering these devices nearly ineffective against advanced attacks. NGFWs, on the other hand, extend their reach to the upper layers of the protocol stack, gaining true awareness of application traffic. Using in-depth packet inspection techniques, they are able to precisely recognize services, content, and digital identities, applying granular and contextual policies.
Features such as TLS/SSL flow decoding and behavior-based detection complete a significantly more advanced protection framework. Integration with IDS/IPS systems further enhances the detection and prevention capabilities of sophisticated cyber attacks. While legacy firewalls are easily circumvented, a Next Generation Firewall today represents the most suitable tool for responding effectively and advancedly to modern cyber threats, guaranteeing an essential level of protection for companies and critical infrastructures.
