Difference Between Traditional Firewall And Next Generation Firewall

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Open In App Difference between Traditional Firewall and Next Generation Firewall Last Updated : 17 Sep, 2024 Summarize Comments Improve Suggest changes Like Article Like Save Share Report Follow

With the development of cyber threats, advanced protection mechanisms are highly required for network protection by organizations. Firewalls serve as the base defense between trusted internal networks and untrusted external networks by separating these two with its existence. Traditional Firewalls and NGFWs gradually developed from these time-evolved firewalls. Although both the NGFw and traditional firewalls basically aim at securing networks, the features of the NGFw make them better in the battle against contemporary cyber threats. For this reason, we will compare the traditional firewalls with the new next-generation firewalls in determining which one is best suited for your organization.

What is a Traditional Firewall?

A traditional firewall is a solution where incoming as well as outgoing network traffic is controlled according to predefined security rules either through hardware or software product filtering at Layer 3 of OSI or blocking/allowing packets based on source/destination IP addresses, protocols, and ports.

Traditional Firewall

Advantages of Traditional Firewall

  1. Simplicity: Traditional firewalls are easier to set up and manage, offer very basic traffic filtering, and are relatively less complex.
  2. Cost-effective: They usually charge reasonably good money, thereby ensuring that small networks with relatively few security concerns can afford them.
  3. Performance: Since they do minimal packet inspection, traditional firewalls are generally fast-speed.

Disadvantages of Traditional Firewall

  1. Limited Security: The traditional aged firewalls can only provide packet filtering. Packet filtering cannot detect applications-layer threats and the more advanced attacks like malware or APTs.
  2. No DPI: DPI in case of a traditional firewall means they do not scan the actual content of data in transit, therefore less effective against latest threats .
  3. No application awareness: It cannot identify applications and is hence unable to enforce app-level security policies.

What is a Next Generation Firewall?

NGFW is more advanced than the traditional firewall, since it offers more layers of protection. A traditional firewall features packet filtering, but NGFW carries out DPI, intrusion prevention, application control, and identity-based access. It works on a few layers from Layer 3 to Layer 7 for quite granular view.

Next-generation-Firewalls

Advantages of Next Generation Firewall

  1. Advanced Threat Protection. NGFW can detect and stop the latest malware, ransomware, and advanced persistent threats using DPI, IDS/IPS, and sandboxing.
  2. Application Awareness. NGFW can discern and manage traffic based on applications, not IP address or ports, so it can be much more granular.
  3. Unified Security. NGFW can tie in lots of security functions together, such as firewall, VPN, antivirus, etc.
  4. Identity Awareness: It can enforce security policies according to the identity of the users. This way, role-based access control can also be implemented.

Drawbacks of Next Generation Firewall

  1. Price: NGFWs are much costlier compared to the earlier variants because of the additional features and functions they possess. Consequently, small businesses cannot afford it for themselves.
  2. Difficult to Manage: NGFWs are more intricate to administer and configure. They hold many functionalities.
  3. Impact on Performance: Advanced inspection processes, such as DPI, may be slower than traditional firewalls and can often degrade network performance.

Difference between Traditional Firewall and Next Generation Firewall

Feature

Traditional Firewall

Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW)

Primary Function

Packet filtering based on IP, port, and protocol

Advanced security features including deep packet inspection, malware detection, and intrusion prevention

Layer of Operation

Operates at Network Layer (Layer 3)

Operates across Layers 3 to 7 (Network to Application layer)

Application Awareness

No

Yes, controls traffic based on specific applications

Threat Detection

Basic, limited to known threats

Advanced, includes malware detection, IDS/IPS, and sandboxing

Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)

No

Yes, inspects the entire content of packets

User Identity Awareness

No

Yes, policies can be applied based on user identity

VPN Support

Yes

Yes, with additional encryption features

Cost

Generally lower

Higher due to advanced features

Performance

High performance, minimal inspection overhead

May have performance impact due to deep inspection but can be optimized

Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

No

Yes, included with NGFW for real-time threat prevention

Granular Control

Limited

Provides granular control of applications and traffic

Updates for Modern Threats

Rare or manual updates

Frequent automatic updates for new and evolving threats

Conclusion

While traditional firewalls and NGFWs are of considerable importance to the network security, they do depend very much on the security requirements of the organization. Traditional firewalls will find their best usage in smaller networks or when the security needs are not as demanding as with NGFWs. While NGFWs are justified for use in enterprise environments which require advanced threat protection, application awareness, and deep packet inspection. As cyber threats grow more complex, so do the NGFWs-the only comprehensive solution to the overall problem of security.

Frequently Asked Questions on Traditional Firewall and Next Generation Firewall – FAQ’s

Do I need a Next-Generation Firewall if I already have a Traditional Firewall?

Yes, if your organization is facing modern threats such as malware, ransomware, or requires application control and intrusion prevention, an NGFW is recommended over a traditional firewall.

Can a Traditional Firewall protect against modern threats?

No, traditional firewalls are limited to basic packet filtering and cannot defend against advanced threats like APTs, malware, or application-level attacks.

Are Next-Generation Firewalls more expensive?

Yes, NGFWs are typically more expensive due to their advanced features like DPI, IDS/IPS, and application control, but they offer a higher level of protection.

Will a Next-Generation Firewall slow down my network?

While NGFWs offer deeper inspection of data, they may slightly impact network performance due to advanced processes like DPI. However, many NGFWs come with optimization features to minimize this impact.

S

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