need help with attached.

Firewall

Student’s Name

Professor’s Name

Date

 In no less than 250 words, explain your topic for the project.  Explain how it is relevant to network security.  Be as clear as you can in explaining your topic by using examples, software, hardware, etc 

Network firewalls are considered as a security device which is used to mitigate any form of unauthorized access to a private network which has been connected to the internet more so via an intranet. The only traffic which is allowed on this network is the one which has been defined by the firewall policies, and any other form of traffic which tries to pass via this network is blocked (Syngress, 2003). Network firewalls are observed to be in the frontline of a particular system where it acts as a communication channel between the internal and external devices.

It is possible to configure a network firewall so that it will be in a position to control any form of data which is either entering or exiting a particular network. It automatically rejects those form of messages or traffic which does not meet the defined security criteria (Syngress, 2002). One thing to note is that when a firewall has been appropriately configured, the firewall will allow a user to gain access to any resources while at the same time keeping off unwanted users, worms and virus or any other malicious program which might be trying to find its way into the protected network.

Software vs. Hardware Firewalls

· Hardware firewalls: A standalone product usually releases these form of firewalls, and they are often in-built components or any other type of networking device. They are generally considered as an essential aspect when it comes to the traditional security system and network configuration (Syngress, 2003).

· Software firewalls: These are programs which are installed within a computer, or they are provided by Operating System of the network device manufacturer. One thing to note about this form of firewalls is that they can be customized depending on the user (Syngress, 2002).

References

Syngress. (2002). Cisco Security Specialists Guide to PIX Firewall. Elsevier.

Syngress. (2003). CheckPoint NG VPN 1/Firewall 1: Advanced Configuration and Troubleshooting. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.