Imagine waking up and finding out that your small Australian business has been hit by a cyberattack. Your sensitive data has been compromised, and your operations have come to a stop. Many businesses are currently facing this nightmare. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting small and medium-sized enterprises, so it’s crucial to have a strong firewall to protect your business from potential cyber threats.
Recent studies show that 62% of small businesses in Australia have experienced a cybersecurity incident, with estimated annual losses to cybercrime reaching $300 million per year. These aren’t just numbers—they represent shattered dreams, lost revenues, and damaged reputations.
In this guide, we’ll explore the importance of small business firewalls, review various types, and recommend firewall solutions for the Australian market. Whether you’re a startup or a traditional business, this article will help you make informed decisions to protect your data and fortify your digital defences against evolving cyber threats.
Why Are Firewalls Important For Small Businesses?
Firewalls are important for small businesses because they act as a barrier between the internal network and the rest of the Internet. A firewall can block access to specific external websites and prevent unauthorised outside users from entering the network. Without a firewall, unauthorised users (threat actors) could potentially gain access to sensitive business information. The ideal firewall software for small businesses will offer protection at an affordable cost.
12 Best Firewalls for Small Businesses in Australia
Fortinet FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW)
Fortinet’s FortiGate next-gen firewall series is widely recognised in the cybersecurity industry for its strong performance and comprehensive feature set. The FortiGate NGFWs are designed to provide a security-driven networking approach, combining networking and security capabilities in a single platform. This makes them an excellent choice for small businesses looking for a unified solution that can efficiently handle both security and networking needs.
Key features:
- Ultra-fast security, end to end
- Consistent real-time defence with FortiGuard Services
- Excellent user experience with security processing units
- Operational efficiency and automated workflows
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Cisco Firepower 1000 Series
The Cisco Firepower 1000 Series is specially designed for small and mid-sized businesses under the Cisco Secure firewall. With a range of features that can scale with your business, it’s an appealing option for businesses that prioritise security.
Key features:
- Advanced IT and OT threat detection and protection
- Improves hybrid work performance by adapting to evolving needs
- Integrated intrusion prevention
- Advanced malware protection
- VPN support for secure remote access
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At Binary IT, we understand the unique challenges faced by small businesses in Australia. Our team of experts specialises in tailoring robust firewall solutions to fit your specific needs and budget. Schedule a consultation with our team.
pfSense
pfSense is an open-source firewall and router platform based on FreeBSD. It’s known for its flexibility and powerful features, making it a popular choice among small business owners and IT professionals. While it requires more technical knowledge to set up and maintain, pfSense offers enterprise-level features at a fraction of the cost of proprietary solutions, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious businesses with some in-house IT expertise.
Key features:
- Stateful packet inspection
- VPN capabilities
- Traffic shaping and load balancing
- Web content filtering
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SonicWall
SonicWall has been a player in the network security market for over 25 years. Its firewalls are designed specifically for small to medium-sized businesses. They offer a good balance between advanced cyber security features and ease of use, making them suitable for businesses that need robust protection but may not have extensive IT resources. SonicWall’s security solutions are known for their strong performance and scalability.
Key features:
- Deep packet inspection
- Intrusion prevention
- Content filtering
- VPN support
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Sophos
Sophos offers a range of cybersecurity products, including its XG Firewall series. Known for its user-friendly approach to security, Sophos firewalls are designed to be easy to deploy and manage, making them a good fit for small businesses without dedicated IT staff. Sophos also emphasises synchronised security, allowing its firewalls to work seamlessly with other Sophos security products for comprehensive protection.
Key features:
- Synchronised Security for endpoint and network protection
- Cloud management options
- Web application firewall
- Email Protection
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Palo Alto Networks PA-400 Series
Palo Alto Networks is recognised as a leader in cybersecurity, known for its innovative approach to threat prevention. The PA-400 Series brings its enterprise-grade security to a form factor and price point suitable for small businesses. These firewalls leverage machine learning and advanced analytics to provide cutting-edge protection, making them ideal for businesses that require top-tier security and have the budget to support it.
Key features:
- Next-generation firewall capabilities
- Machine learning-powered threat prevention
- DNS security
- IoT security
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Unsure if your firewall is adequate?
Request a thorough firewall review from our experts today! Book a session with our cybersecurity professionals to find the best solutions for your business. Schedule a consultation today!
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall
Barracuda Networks is known for its focus on email and network security. Their CloudGen Firewall is designed to protect both physical and virtual environments, making it an excellent choice for businesses with hybrid infrastructure. Barracuda’s solution is particularly well-suited for businesses that are moving towards cloud-based operations but still need to maintain on-premises security.
Key features:
- Advanced threat protection
- SD-WAN capabilities
- Central management for multiple sites
- VPN and remote access
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WatchGuard Firebox
WatchGuard’s Firebox series offers a range of security appliances designed for small to medium-sized businesses. Known for their distinctive red chassis, WatchGuard firewalls provide a good balance of security features and performance. They’re particularly noted for their ability to handle multiple security functions without significant performance degradation, making them suitable for businesses that need comprehensive protection without sacrificing network speed.
Key features:
- Network, Wi-Fi, and endpoint security
- Threat detection and response
- VPN and secure remote access
- Centralised management
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Perimeter 81
Perimeter 81 takes a different approach to firewalls, offering a cloud-based, software-defined perimeter solution. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses with a distributed workforce or those looking to move away from traditional hardware-based security. Perimeter 81’s solution is particularly well-suited for businesses embracing the Zero Trust security model and those wanting to simplify their network security.
Key features:
- Software-defined perimeter
- Zero trust network access
- Cloud VPN
- Network segmentation
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Firewalla
Firewalla offers a unique approach to firewalls, providing small, plug-and-play devices that are easy to set up and use. While they may not offer the advanced features of enterprise-grade firewalls, Firewalla devices are an excellent option for very small businesses, home offices, or as an additional layer of security for remote workers. Their simplicity and affordability make them accessible to businesses with limited IT resources.
Key features:
- Network monitoring
- Ad blocking
- VPN server and client
- Parental controls
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MikroTik
MikroTik is a Latvian company known for providing networking equipment and software at very competitive prices. Their RouterOS software, which includes firewall capabilities, can be run on their hardware or as a virtual machine. MikroTik solutions are favoured by tech-savvy users and small ISPs for their flexibility and cost-effectiveness, but they require a higher level of networking knowledge to set up and manage effectively.
Key features:
- Stateful firewall
- VPN support
- Traffic shaping
- Web proxy
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Azure Firewall
Microsoft’s Azure Firewall is a cloud-native firewall-as-a-service solution designed to protect Azure Virtual Network resources. It’s an excellent choice for businesses that are heavily invested in the Microsoft Azure ecosystem and want to maintain consistent security policies across their cloud resources. While it requires some cloud expertise to manage effectively, it offers seamless integration with other Azure services and can be a cost-effective solution for cloud-first businesses.
Key features:
- Threat intelligence-based filtering
- Network address translation (NAT) support
- Azure Monitor integration
- High availability
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Whether you need a next-generation firewall or a cloud-based solution, we have the expertise to protect your digital assets. Find out how we can help strengthen your defenses. Get in touch for a detailed assessment and recommendation!
Points to consider while choosing a firewall:
- Size of your team
- Distribution of on-site and remote workers
- Manageability and ease of use
- Skill level of in-house IT team
- Types of devices protected by the firewall (IT, OT, IoT)
- Different features provided by the firewall
- Your company’s budget
Types of Firewalls For Small Business
When it comes to network security, various types of firewalls play a crucial role in protecting systems from unauthorised access and cyber threats. Understanding these different types of firewalls can help in making informed decisions about network security. Let’s take a closer look at each type:
Packet-filtering firewalls
Also known as stateless inspection firewalls, these operate at the network layer and analyse individual data packets based on their source and destination. They filter incoming and outgoing packets to form a basic level of defence.
Stateful inspection firewalls
These firewalls work at the transport level and are capable of tracking ongoing and previous connections. They allow the establishment of specific connection rules without requiring re-approval for each data packet, providing a more advanced level of security.
Circuit-level gateway firewalls
Operating at the session level, circuit-level gateway firewalls focus on protecting UDP and TCP protocols. They track handshaking between trusted servers, clients, and untrusted hosts, adding an extra layer of security to the network.
Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs)
NGFWs combine the features of traditional firewalls with additional security devices and software. They are designed to inspect and identify advanced malware and complex threats in detail, offering comprehensive firewall protection to the network.
Proxy service firewalls
Also known as application-layer gateway firewalls, these firewalls safeguard the application layer. By filtering packets and reading application protocols, they offer complete control over network traffic, ensuring a high level of security for the network.
Conclusion
As we’ve explored throughout this guide, the digital landscape for small Australian businesses is rife with both opportunities and threats. The right firewall solution isn’t just a technical necessity—it’s a critical business asset that can mean the difference between thriving in the digital age and falling victim to costly cyber attacks.
Investing in a robust firewall solution is crucial for your business’s future. Regular updates, ongoing monitoring, and cybersecurity best practices should complement your firewall implementation. Take action today to protect your business and set the stage for sustainable growth and success. Contact us for cybersecurity solutions.
