When Forbes starts posting articles with titles like “Alarming Cyber Statistics For Mid-Year 2022 That You Need To Know,” you need to listen up. Whether you’re a small business owner, solopreneur, IT director, or manager, these types of headlines shouldn’t be ignored. The article shared that despite the best efforts of tech gurus across the globe, the prevalence of cyber attacks is ever-growing and unrelenting.
A few stats they shared that everyone should consider are:
- Cyber attackers can penetrate nearly 95% of company networks
- Cybercrime cost businesses almost $7 billion in 2021 alone
- Software supply chain attacks affected 60% of businesses in 2021
We could go on and on. Cyber security is a real issue that you must pay attention to and prepare for! So today, we’re sharing one way you can take a step toward a more secure network.
What is a Firewall & Why is it Important?
Despite the harrowing stats above, it’s also shown that half of the businesses in the U.S. don’t have a cyber security plan at all. If you’re one of them, you’re not alone. But there is one simple step you can take to ensure you’re protected today. That’s upgrading (or purchasing your first) firewall.
A firewall is a simple (and affordable) piece of network security technology that tracks and filters incoming and outgoing traffic on the network. One of the easiest ways to look at it is a literal titanium wall between your network and the dangers out there on the world wide web. They also track and audit traffic which you can then pull into reports to monitor your network.
3 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Firewall
So, when is it time to upgrade?
Your Vendor Doesn’t Offer Tech Support on It Anymore
As new products are released, many tech companies will eliminate tech support on older versions of a product once they aren’t sold anymore and have gone through the product lifecycle. If your tech company doesn’t offer support on your firewall anymore, it’s likely way out of date.
You’ve Had Your Firewall for Over 3 Years
The traditional lifespan of a firewall to be safe is three years, you may use it up to five. But the sheer number of malware updates daily will add up on an older device! In fact, a firewall that’s five years old is proven to only prevent about 50% of the traffic a two-year-old firewall will. That’s a huge difference and a lot of risks.
Your Team Has Grown or Moved Locations
As the pandemic wanes, teams are hiring again and moving to remote or hybrid work scenarios. With that, your capacity and speed will be impacted, and you’ll need an upgraded system.
The Perks of Upgrading Your Firewall
If you’re nodding your head yes to any of the above reasons to upgrade, the time has come. With newer firewall models, you get faster speeds, greater capacity, and overall greater protection.
With phishing being one of the top cyber attack formats today, you want to ensure your firewall offers URL filtering. Newer AI features allow quicker communication and troubleshooting.
The list goes on!
Featured Firewalls at iNetSupply.com
So, all that said, here are a few of our recent favorites when it comes to firewall technology!
For the Business on a Budget:
Fortinet FortiGate 40F – Security Appliance (FG-40F)
For the Scaling Business:
Cisco ASA 5508-X With FirePOWER Services – Security Appliance (ASA5508-K9)
We have these firewalls and more in stock and ready to ship. All orders are shipped within one business day, so your upgraded network protection isn’t far away! Shop firewalls now.
