Data protection has gained a lot of importance through the years. It has become essential for both individuals and companies. Since we, companies, enterprises, and corporates, started storing confidential and personal information using online services like cloud-based storage, the data has become more vulnerable to threats.

Also, data has become a more valuable asset over the years. This value attracted the attention of malicious individuals. While it may mean personal safety and security for individuals, data protection may be more significant for companies.

Data protection is not only mean safeguarding an asset, but it also means regulating how and which individuals, services, endpoints, and other actors access the data. Data protection also covers the act of protecting access, connection, and tools that are used to reach the data. Because so many things have changed about the data, the way to properly safeguard it also needs to be changed.

Since most companies, enterprises, and corporates store data using cloud-based software, comprehensively protecting this asset may be possible by using the same technology, the cloud. In this article, we will talk about cloud-based firewall measures and the reasons why companies need to adopt them.

Cloud Firewalls Explained: A Security as a Service Approach

Cloud Firewalls are security products that are software-based and installed in the cloud and are designed to block or reduce unauthorized entry to exclusive systems. As the name implies, cloud firewalls are hosted on the cloud which creates the most important difference between cloud firewalls and traditional ones.

Besides being hosted on the cloud, cloud firewalls essentially work similarly to traditional firewalls. Cloud firewalls’ primary purpose is to prevent harmful and unwanted traffic to reach the network. Cloud Firewalls are cybersecurity tools that function as a barrier against unwanted network traffic and deliver security to various cloud services, including Cloud CRM, Cloud Database, and Cloud Email.

Like traditional firewalls do for a company’s inner network, cloud firewalls provide an artificial wall surrounding cloud services, assets, and apps. On-site infrastructure can be protected by cloud firewalls as well. Cloud firewalls, in essence, are mainly divided into two categories. These two types keep track of all the data sent and received and process the information following access regulations to prevent and register malicious activity. The difference between these two types is based on the users’ needs. Let’s take a closer look at these two categories.

Security as a Service Firewall — SaaS

Similar to regular firewalls, these firewalls are set up as their primary function is to safeguard the system of the cloud. The only distinction is that these firewalls are housed in the cloud. There are other types and names for SaaS firewalls such as; SECaas, FWaaS, and SaaS.

Next-Generation Firewall — NGFW

This type is a cloud-based service that is designed to be installed in a cloud-based information center.  With a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) or infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) paradigm, they secure the company’s systems. On a cloud platform, this type of cloud firewall safeguards all the traffic sent and received between cloud services.

The Importance of Embracing a Cloud-based Approach

Now that we covered what cloud firewalls are, it is time to explain why you need one. As most companies and enterprises shift how they store and handle data, cloud-based technologies became much more important. The reason behind the change is simple: these technologies deliver significant benefits to users. The technologies like cloud-based storage, cloud VPN, SASE, and others help users to protect their data and handle the information however they want. Besides security, they also offer scalability, enhanced control, greater visibility, and flexibility.

Furthermore, malicious actors also utilize the same technologies to steal data. That is why traditional security systems may fall short regarding cloud-stored data protection. In a world where remote access has gained a lot of significance, embracing cloud-based approaches play an essential role. Adopting these technologies help individuals, companies, enterprises, and corporates to securely access the information they need to execute their tasks. Also, since data is seen as the most valuable asset for some companies. So, a breach or data leak may have vital consequences like reputation and trust loss. The rules governing security are evolving swiftly and cloud-based firewalls may easily fit in this evolution. They can also offer other significant benefits such as:

Scalability

Scalability is a significant capability in today’s business world. Businesses need to keep up with the constant changes to function properly. Luckily, cloud firewalls offer companies with scalability. Since they are hosted in the cloud, they may be scaled constantly as traffic demands change, and cloud firewalls adapt to preserve consistency.

Ease of Management

With cloud firewalls, companies can easily set granular security policies and block unwanted traffic. Unlike hardware firewalls, changing policies and managing access privileges can be done faster with cloud-based firewalls. Besides saving significant time, this helps companies to adopt security regulations regarding vulnerabilities.

Easy and Secure Cloud Deployment

These firewalls can easily be implemented in cloud infrastructure. Companies can protect different cloud deployments at the same time with cloud firewalls. Since they are software-based products, they can be deployed easily while requiring much less time and having less of an impact on corporate operations.

Secure Migration

This is particularly advantageous for businesses searching for a way to move their existing services from an on-premise location to a cloud-based architecture. Companies can protect the connections between systems, infrastructures, and data centers by implementing cloud firewalls.

Greater Performance Management

A variety of tools for controlling efficiency, use, accessibility, administration, monitoring, and other factors are included with cloud-based firewalls. They often offer a thorough panel that is accessible and manageable from a distance. This gives companies greater control over systems, security, and access.

Conclusion

Data has grown increasingly exposed to attacks since we, as businesses, corporations, and corporates, began adopting internet services like cloud-based storage to store private and sensitive information. Data has also increased in value over time as an asset and that made it sort of a target.

That is why protecting this asset became critical for everyone. Not only for companies but also individuals, data protection plays a critical role. For example, our bank account details, login credentials, and other sensitive information may be stored in different online services and this may make them vulnerable and may have serious consequences.

On the other hand, for companies, failing to protect the data they store may result in facing significant amount of fines and serious penalties. However, these are not the only consequences. Failing to secure the data may cause companies to lose the reputation and brand trust they built with associates, clients, and employees.