Choosing The Best Firewall

Although I only briefly touched on most of the issues involved in choosing a firewall this should be a good starting point for selecting a firewall. The best firewall however is not a product although that does influence the effectiveness of it greatly. It is more a combination of factors. A firewall is only as good as the policy it implements. A firewall should justify its existence in the reduction of impact and/or probability of threats thus reducing risk. A firewall should be active managed and reviewed. A combination of firewalls can also be implemented. So, to try and put that in one sentence. The best firewall balances functionality, risk reduction and cost in a well-managed fashion as a tool that implements a security policy along with other devices applying the concept of 'Defense in Depth'.