What's the Difference Between Consumer and Business-Grade Firewalls?

Written by Medicus IT | Dec 6, 2022 8:28:00 PM

A business firewall for healthcare organizations protects your IT infrastructure by monitoring all incoming and outgoing traffic through your network. While it serves as just one layer of your IT security, it is often your first line of defense against potential threats.

There are two general options when it comes to firewalls: standard consumer-grade (or home-use) firewalls and business-grade firewalls. Below, we explore both firewall options to help you find the right tool for the right job.

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a security tool that keeps track of incoming and outgoing traffic in your network. It can be a piece of hardware or software (or a combination of both). Think of it as a trained bouncer or security guard who checks anything that enters your network, keeping guard for malware, bot attacks, and any unauthorized access to your system.

Whether it’s a small office firewall or a home firewall, a firewall serves as a barrier between a “trusted network” (your own system) and an “untrusted network,” like the internet at large.

The difference between consumer and business-grade firewalls

	Consumer-Grade Firewall	Business-Grade Firewall
Security	Often sacrifices security for speed Less rigorous specs (basic WPA2 encryption) Not designed for regular daily business traffic	Offers a much higher level of protection Has advanced security features like real-time deep memory inspection to block more attacks and web filtering to block malicious sites Can keep up with large amounts of data traffic
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Capabilities	Basic intrusion detection More reactive than preventive Limited ability to see patterns in bandwidth usage and login attempts	More advanced intrusion and detection features Includes logs that you can access to monitor any unusual activity
Application Management	Little to non-existent application management controls to give you administrative functions	Gives you the ability to prevent unauthorized applications from running Can limit the amount of bandwidth various applications use Can apply security policies to ensure safe practices and prevent malware infection
Customization	Already pre-configured	Customizable to meet the diverse needs of any organization
Upgradability	Not upgradeable Disposable	Designed with upgradability in mind Can expand performance and features when needed
Software Updates	Pre-configured No ability to update software	Regular business firewall software updates from the manufacturer
Warranty and Support	Only available through the retailer Most consumer firewalls do not come with individual user support	Has full first-party warranties from the manufacturer Comes with both technical and user support
Compliance	Does not meet security requirements for standards such as CMMC, PCI, or HIPAA	Designed with multiple compliance standards

Benefits of a Consumer-Grade Firewall

More affordable than business-grade firewalls
Easy to use/install (plug and play)
A good option for individual home use

Benefits of a Small Business Firewall

Provides wider protection
More layers of security
Customizable to your organization’s needs
Updates are available to provide enhanced security for your IT infrastructure
Ideal for businesses

Let Medicus IT Help You Find the Best Firewall for Your Healthcare Practice

At Medicus IT, we know healthcare IT security and the high-stakes protection, safety, and compliance issues that come with it. We believe in preventive care for IT, and that starts with a strategic focus on the systems and solutions designed to keep your practice out of trouble and your patients out of harm’s way.

Day-to-day cybersecurity is more than an IT concern. It’s a business concern and an issue of patient trust. It’s also a never-ending process. Our managed security services serve as a wellness assessment for your healthcare organization’s technology, providing vigilant testing, continual learning, and strategically planned defenses designed to identify and treat potential threats.

In addition to firewall and network protection, we provide other healthcare-specific security essentials, such as endpoint protection, predictive security enforcement, penetration testing, and automated breach detection, just to name a few.

Think about the potential ramifications of cyberattacks and data breaches. Take action and protect your organization now. If you’re unsure whether or not you have the network protection you need or would like to know the best firewalls for small businesses or hospitals, contact Medicus IT today.

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