The field of network security is rapidly changing. In 2018, a single data breach incident cost U.S. firms on average $7.91 million, while breaches in Canada and Germany were around an average of $5 million. With the current trend of data breaches, these figures are only projected to increase in the coming years.

Security admins are in a constant tug-of-war with hackers. To win this war, security admins are installing new security devices like intrusion detection systems, intrusion protection systems, proxy servers, virtual private networks, and firewalls. Unfortunately, no environment is perfectly safe; hackers are constantly inventing new ways to breach networks. If you’re not using proper monitoring techniques, cybercriminals will find and exploit any cracks that may exist in your network.

The heart of any firewall’s performance is its rules and policies. If not monitored and managed properly, your network can be left vulnerable to attacks. This is why your firewall rules and policies need to be spot on. Policies need to be periodically updated if you want to stay ahead of today’s cybercriminals.

To help you detect and fix the vulnerabilities in your firewall policies, here are a few best practices you should apply in your IT department. Download our free e-book “10 firewall best practices for network security admins,” and learn how to optimize your firewall rules.

Mouli Srinivasan
Marketing Analyst