{"id":73052,"date":"2023-10-27T20:45:25","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T12:45:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/version-2.com\/?p=73052"},"modified":"2023-10-17T20:48:13","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T12:48:13","slug":"nordlayer-features-in-review-cloud-firewall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/version-2.com\/en\/2023\/10\/nordlayer-features-in-review-cloud-firewall\/","title":{"rendered":"NordLayer features in review: Cloud Firewall"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>

There was a time when on-premises hardware took care of your company\u2019s cybersecurity. Most workers heard there was some kind of firewall behind those server room doors but never got to see it. Now, these rooms are getting smaller, and there are fewer and fewer doors to open.\u00a0<\/p>

Today, hardware-heavy businesses are steadily declining<\/b> while the on-cloud sector goes the opposite way. This doesn\u2019t come as a surprise, given that buying solutions from the vendor is cheaper and doesn\u2019t require a significant IT workforce. Following the trend, we at NordLayer further expanded our cybersecurity feature selection with a Cloud Firewall.<\/p>

While we already had options like ThreatBlock or Deep Packet Inspection Lite (DPI Lite) next to the VPN, Cloud Firewall will further strengthen your multi-layered network protection<\/b>. Also, let\u2019s not forget that a firewall is a must for Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Security Service Edge (SSE) frameworks.<\/p>

Whether you\u2019re moving to the cloud or looking for ways to strengthen your company\u2019s cybersecurity, continue reading to learn how NordLayer\u2019s Cloud Firewall can assist.<\/p>

Cloud Firewall solution using NordLayer<\/h2>

NordLayer\u2019s Cloud Firewall is very easy to deploy<\/b> as it doesn\u2019t require extra hardware that would also need constant supervision. That means you won\u2019t have issues integrating it into your existing network and fitting the company\u2019s infrastructure. In fact, the whole network access management process becomes streamlined and effortless.<\/p>

As noted earlier, you can install a firewall on your hardware, choose a cloud-based option<\/b>, such as NordLayer, or use both options. The Cloud solutions are also known as Firewalls as a Service (FWaaS)<\/a>. They require no local hardware\u2014just a web-based Control Panel for controlling access to your data.<\/p>

Benefits of Cloud Firewall VPN<\/h2>

NordLayer\u2019s FWaaS can benefit you in many ways beyond firewall protection. Here are just some of the examples.<\/p>

Granular network segmentation<\/h3>

The main benefit of NordLayer\u2019s Cloud Firewall is granular network segmentation<\/b>. It means you can choose which departments, teams, or employees can access particular in-house resources. This makes creating new workflows easier and existing business processes more secure.<\/p>

Moreover, network segmentation reduces the attack surface inside the organization. It\u2019s always easier to detect a possible threat in a subnet compared to the whole network.<\/p>

Let\u2019s also not forget about the increased performance. The bigger the network, the higher the risk of a slowdown. With network segmentation, you\u2019ll avoid bandwidth throttling because one subnet\u2019s load won\u2019t affect the other.<\/p>

Centralized security<\/h3>

The firewall is on the cloud, meaning it can easily protect both your office and remote workers. That means it works both for your cloud and on-premises environments. The same applies to enforcing policies on all endpoints.<\/p>

Centralized security means that your IT admins have more control over network security. What\u2019s more, they can customize security controls for each segment.<\/p>

One control panel to rule them all<\/h3>

One of the main goals of NordLayer is simplicity and ease of use. That\u2019s why we put all controls in one panel without cluttering it. Even if you\u2019re not an IT expert, you\u2019ll be able to create new rules, which will be automatically applied to anything added to the Gateway.<\/p>

And in case there was a rule for one employee only, it will automatically become disabled if the worker is removed from a Team. However, if you decide to remove a Gateway or a dedicated server, you\u2019ll have to turn off the firewall first.<\/p>

Optimized maintenance<\/h3>

Cloud firewalls are easily updated, and the process can be automated. There\u2019s no need to visit every office with a server to install the latest firmware updates and patches.<\/p>

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Increased speed<\/h3>

Traditional firewalls are not always ready to handle cloud applications and may require extra expenses for them to work. In contrast, NordLayer\u2019s Cloud Firewall won\u2019t become a choke point in your network.<\/p>

And the best thing is you won\u2019t be sacrificing security for the sake of performance. It\u2019s always easier to avoid bandwidth throttling when you have your network segmented.<\/p>

Flexible scaling<\/h3>

No need for extra hardware means your Cloud Firewall will expand together with your business. And this can happen without overly complicating the process.<\/p>

A new department in your company? Simply add another rule for them. With NordLayer\u2019s Cloud Firewall, you can focus on your business instead of worrying about its cybersecurity.<\/p>

Additionally, it doesn\u2019t matter what kind of work model your company uses. NordLayer fits in-house, cloud, and hybrid environments. So, if you\u2019re planning to switch from one to another in the near future, you don\u2019t need to worry about changing your firewall.<\/p>

How does NordLayer\u2019s FWaaS feature work?<\/h2>

NordLayer\u2019s Cloud Firewall works a bit like a border guard, scanning incoming and outgoing data packets<\/b>. It checks if you can pass the border into a specific country.<\/p>

Just like a firewall examines the content of the data packet, the border guard inspects your ID to see if it\u2019s really you and whether you\u2019re on a list of allowed travelers. But how does that actually happen?<\/p>

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The first and most important step is configuring the firewall<\/a> according to your business needs. That means creating rules defining who will access which resources and who will be blocked. A rule can be applied to the whole company or just one employee.<\/p>

When it comes to traffic destinations, your Cloud Firewall can work with standalone IPs, IP lists, or entire subnets. These options give you the freedom to customize to your heart\u2019s content.<\/p>

Once you’re past this stage, the only thing left is enabling NordLayer\u2019s Firewall, which in turn starts filtering data packets passing through the gateway.<\/p>

Now, no matter your or your employee\u2019s location, this Cloud Firewall will protect your company as the bouncer protects the nightclub by doing face control. He won\u2019t let the dodgy-looking fellas in and won\u2019t explain the reasons why. And you, as the club manager, can overrule the bouncer\u2019s decision anytime.<\/p>

You can also customize NordLayer\u2019s Firewall<\/b> to fit your company. No matter if your workplace is on-site, hybrid, or remote \u2013 you\u2019ll still be getting top-notch threat prevention and access control.<\/p>

What\u2019s more, you don\u2019t have to be an IT specialist to tweak your Cloud Firewall. You can apply different rules to your employees<\/b> right in NordLayer\u2019s Control Panel. No more financial data for Mark? Bam, it\u2019s done. Sales team newbies need access to Salesforce? Bam, it\u2019s done.<\/p>

How to use NordLayer\u2019s Cloud Firewall?<\/h2>

This section describes the key actions you can take with our FWaaS without needing an IT specialist. We\u2019ll look at Default Firewall Action, creating new Firewall rules, and managing rule hierarchy<\/b>. We also want to remind you that if you\u2019re having trouble with any of the steps, contact our 24\/7 customer support \u2013 they will be glad to help.<\/p>

What is a Default Firewall Action?<\/h3>

Default Firewall Action controls what happens to the traffic<\/b> when it does not meet any of the firewall rules defined by the organization. However, new employees who are yet to be assigned to a Team won\u2019t see any Virtual Private Gateways, just the shared ones. This means neither firewall rules nor the Default Firewall Action applies to them.<\/p>

There are two Default Firewall Actions available:<\/p>