The computer connected with the internet can be more likely to get affected by viruses and cyber-attacks. In that case, the users need to have a protective shield that protects the computer and its important files from any virus, malware, or harmful element that can affect the device. Nowadays, the firewall is used mainly in organizations and also by individuals. This application can be installed in the desired hardware and software component of the computer. And then can start protecting the device and its files from any cyber attack. But do you know what type of advantages users get after installing a firewall on their computer? Are there any disadvantages of using a firewall on computer devices?
These two are some of the most asked questions, and it is essential to discuss too. Hence in this article, you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of firewalls in a computer network.
What is Firewall in Computer Network?
A firewall is a layer in the computer to protect it from unknown users or codes that can be a virus, malware, or unauthorized access to the computer. Nowadays, modern routers also come with a pre-installed firewall, and if the computers are connected through the network. In that case, the routers can protect all those computers through their security layer. These programs have capabilities to prevent any harmful codes or elements. And if such devices observe there are such viruses or malware, they stop them before reaching the computer. The firewalls are also pre-installed in operating systems such as Windows7, Windows 8, and other variants of Windows10.
You can use firewalls to protect your device from any malware or virus that can affect you while reaching such platforms. And when you do not use the firewalls, any virus can enter your device quickly and steal essential data. Hence, it is better to check out the firewall applications.
Advantages of Firewall in Computer Network
1. Give Protection Against Harmful Elements
Firewalls are designed to protect the computer from viruses, malware, and other harmful codes. And if the computer has its firewall protection, the user can run the safe operations of their office task. Now it has become one of the essential tools for companies and individuals. Because it makes sure to prove a secure and efficient user experience while navigating the web pages. It also warns when users install any application and suggest relevant settings. Hence it is one of the valuable advantages of a firewall in a computer network.
2. Installation Process is Relatively Easy
If you are not a technical expert, then also you can install the firewalls on your computer. And for installing the firewalls, there is not any need for professional guidance. If you think you need some help in installing the firewalls. Then you can look for internet resources that are full of information. However, most modern operating systems like Windows 10, Windows 8, and 7 already have a pre-installed firewall. Although the hardware firewalls are a bit tricky to install, the user can need an expert.
3. Keep Analyzing Traffic
It is one of the crucial advantages of firewalls, as most threats happen through virtual traffic. Thus, if you have installed the firewalls in your device. In that case, it will keep running in the background and analyze all the traffic. Whatever the information passed into the device, all that runs through the firewalls. And if it finds any suspicious codes such as malware or virus, in that case, it automatically warns the user and stops that threat.
4. It Helps in Maintaining High-Level Privacy
A user expects complete privacy while going online, but they can suffer from this need with some unexpected scenarios. Hence, if they use the firewalls in that case, it will make sure to maintain their high-level privacy. And whenever they navigate the web pages, the firewall application will keep monitoring the viruses. Thus, it is also one of the significant benefits of firewalls that users can have. But they all need to have installed firewalls in their computer device.
5. Stop Attacks of Hackers
Some hackers conduct illegal activity by getting unauthorized access to the computers of people like us. Hence they keep looking for devices to hack and get access to sensitive data like credit card details. So they can harm you; moreover, they also spread harmful codes or viruses over the internet. That can contact the computer and discover the data so the hacker can help hack the computer device. Thus, it is essential to have a firewall installed on your computer device.
Disadvantages of Firewall in Computer Network
1. Cost Oriented
Firewalls also have several disadvantages for their users, and the cost factor is one of those. Acquiring firewalls can be costly for organizations as they need to pay for them. If they look for hardware firewalls, then it will cost more for them. As there are installation charges, maintenance charges and also they need to hire the IT technician for this. Moreover, the cost also varies on the type of firewall the company chooses. But if you are an individual user, you can look for the software firewall as the solution. It will cost comparatively less and also meet all your security needs.
2. Can Obstruct Some Organizational Activities
The firewall prevents access to several sites that have malware or any virus. This thing can be good for its users, but large companies often face problems because of it. As the firewalls use strict security guidelines and that can affect the employees’ work efforts. And hence it will also impact the productivity of the company by which it can face the loss.
3. It Can Decrease The Performance Level
Firewalls are the security tools that keep running in the background of the computer. And as there are multiple tabs open and the firewall is also running, in that case, the performance of the computer will be slow. Hence, the user will have to compromise with the efficient workflow; thus, the firewall is also a disadvantage.
4. Still, Some Hacking Attacks Can Happen
The firewalls can be effective on the basic trojans and their types. Hence, another type of malware can enter the computer device. If you have a firewall installed on your computer, then you should also install the anti-virus applications. So that you can run the malware detection test and remove all these malware and viruses.
5. Need A Careful Maintenance
Even though nowadays small businesses feel free to afford firewalls for their computer devices. But for many large businesses, it needs to have a dedicated team of IT experts who can maintain all the maintenance work of firewalls. Hence, it will increase the company’s capital expenditure, and they will need to accommodate all these employees. And they need to work as per the latest policies provided by a company that can be challenging to execute. Hence, the maintenance issue is also one of the significant disadvantages of firewalls.
Conclusion
So, firewalls are the protecting layers installed in the computer devices to protect from viruses, malware, and any other harmful element. Most companies and individuals use this application to keep their files and devices protected from harmful code. However, there are several advantages and disadvantages of firewalls that we discussed in this article. So, if you find this information helpful and want to learn more exciting articles, stay tuned with us.
