Small Business Firewall
One of the most attractive hot cake targets for cybercriminals is small businesses and with a good reason. They deal with a ton of data for the customers as well as financial transactions without taking into consideration stringent security measures to protect such data. As such, they're easily targeted by cyber-attacks which are able to utilize those security loopholes leaving the business vulnerable to data breaches and loss of data.
That notwithstanding, there are several small business firewalls that seem to be up to the task given their functionality and level of protection. Finding the best small business firewall should therefore not be a problem as we have done the research for you and come up with 5 major firewalls that we think are perfect for small businesses owing to their dynamics which are different from larger organizations.
Best Small Business Firewall Software 2020
1. Cisco ASA
If you're looking for extensive security for your business, then Cisco ASA is the firewall to have. It comes both as hardware and as a software. The hardware is installed to protect the entire private network while the software is added into each computer in the network to provide a second layer of protection. If the business has multiple locations and would like to use one firewall solution for all of them, then Cisco ASA is the best in such a situation. It has VPN routers to allow computers in different locations to communicate with each other while still maintaining their security. However, it has been noted that the management interface of this firewall is difficult to use and frankly, for a relatively smaller business with a few computers, it may be a little too much.
2. Comodo Firewall
If you're looking for the most affordable best small business firewall, then Comodo Firewall no doubt is your best option. This extensive firewall has seen it scoop some of the prestigious awards in the AV-Test 2019 owing to its functionality and usability when it comes to keeping out cyber intruders. It monitors and blocks malicious processes and shows a warning whenever they try to access another program or make system changes. With its host intrusion prevention system, application sandboxing, website filtering, dynamic process analyzing and scanning, kill switch to stop or block problematic processes, your small business is guaranteed all-round protection. What's more? They offer to cater for up to $500 worth of repairs should your computer get infected with a virus while on Comodo Firewall. It's simple to use for beginners and can also be customized to fit each business need. At an affordable rate of $29.99 annually, every small business can have a solution to their internet security.
3. Sonic Wall
Sonic Wall is one of the best small business firewalls especially if your business is located in multiple locations. It comes with VPN capabilities that allows you to create VPN tunnels where your employees in multiple locations can access your internal network securely without the need to install individual VPN on each computer. Furthermore, it has web filtering capabilities allowing you to customize which sites users can access and ones they can't. With its load balancing feature, your servers are guaranteed optimal productivity even during peak hours.
4. Firewall
If you're more inclined to purchase the best small business firewall hardware, then Firewall is a good deal for you. This hardware firewall comes with predefined custom rules and protocols and works almost instantly when connected to your private network. All you have to do is connect the router to the WAN port of your network and you're good to go. What's more, you can easily filter the content users are able to access allowing you to block certain sites that might reduce the productivity of your employees. Even better, the firewall does not have subscription fees and you only pay a one-time fee of $129 and all future updates to the firewall software are covered.
5. Palo Alto Networks
If you're a fan of cloud storage, then Palo Alto Networks firewall is your best option. Cloud storage is usually not covered by most firewalls. However, Palo Alto Networks firewall creates site-to-site VPN tunnels which include your cloud storage offering you security for sensitive data stored in the crowd. However, this firewall uses static packet filtering which means it may be less secure than some of the other options.
