System Insecurity - Firewalls

The firewall is normally an intermediate system between the secure internal networks and the less secure external networks. It is intended to keep corporate systems safe from intruders, hackers, and accidental entry into the corporate system. The primary types of firewalls are screening routers, proxy servers, and stateful inspectors. Encryption is another form of firewall protection which is being incorporated along with other firewall methods. Before choosing a firewall architecture, a company must have the right mind set about the threat. The future will see more integration of firewall technologies and the increased use of standards in the industry. It must also determine what are the possible consequences of a breach in security and then develop a system to counter the threat. Additionally, new firewall technologies will address the potential dangers associated with the use of Java applets and Active X-controls on the Internet.