Preventing Security Breaches: The Benefits of a Web Application Firewall

If the benefits of cloud computing can be summarized in just one word, it would be an “enabler”. The cloud is an enabling technology that allows companies, software developers and end users to achieve things that would previously have been impossible because of scale, cost, time, and more.

Technological developments are proving a great aid to cybercriminals too. Automated hacking and system reconnaissance tools help them scan millions of IP addresses and ports in just hours, in search of systems that can then be probed for poor configuration, vulnerabilities to fundamental programming errors such as SQL injections, or lack of installed patches.

Companies which run their systems in the cloud need to be aware that out of sight should not mean out of mind. Security must still remain paramount and a firewall is generally the first line of defense for every computer system that is connected to the Internet.

A web application firewall can be quick to deploy, aids Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance, and adds a vital layer of protection to all Internet-facing applications.