Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) is an essential security tool for protecting cloud-based networks from malicious traffic. Here’s what you need to know about FWaaS, along with the top 10 advantages of implementing it.
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) is a cloud-based, next-generation firewall, designed to protect cloud applications from threats, and scale with cloud environments.
Delivered by single vendors, FWaaS combines advanced cybersecurity features, such as:
This provides a powerful, easy-to-manage, and all-in-one cloud security tool.
Traditional firewalls secure the network perimeters of on-premises systems. If you think of traditional firewall protection as a single wall, then FWaaS is like a bubble. It creates a protected region around a cloud network wherein all traffic is filtered and verified.
Here are some of the key differences between a FWaaS and a traditional firewall (TF):
Most organizations now use a combination of on-premises and hybrid cloud platforms, and the modern workforce is remote, with employees, third parties, and devices all accessing the cloud directly via digital identities.
As a result, the traditional network perimeter has dissolved, and regular firewalls don’t map to cloud infrastructure. Cloud environments require cloud-based security solutions, which is why FWaaS provides a crucial level of protection for businesses today.
Here are the top 10 advantages of FWaaS.
FWaaS integrates with all cloud-based applications, as well as cutting-edge cloud security tools like Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), to provide advanced protection against threats without forcing you to change your tools or workflows.
FWaaS grows with your business. Whether you’re expanding your cloud environment, onboarding users, or launching new products, it handles increased traffic and workloads without needing upgrades.
In this sense, FWaaS is a future-proof solution.
Cloud environments are vast and complex. This is why full visibility is key for detecting threats and keeping your network secure. FWaaS leaves no stone unturned. It can detect:
It helps with preventing incidents from escalating and reduces your attack surface.
FWaaS solutions are a far cry from the rigid defenses of traditional firewalls. Beyond web filtering, they offer advanced features like:
This lets them map to and evolve with your cloud environment and tackle new threats as and when they emerge.
FWaaS removes the need for multiple security tools and policies.
Plus, there’s no need for traffic backhauling, which reduces latency – this means that end users enjoy faster and smoother access to your cloud network.
With FWaaS, there’s no expensive hardware to manage.
A simple subscription cost covers everything, reducing maintenance and staffing costs while keeping your security budget predictable.
FWaaS solutions provide centralized visibility and control over your cloud security activities and policies—without the need to install or fix hardware. Meanwhile, your vendor takes care of the backend:
This is freeing up internal resources for other tasks.
FWaaS goes beyond traditional firewalls by actively inspecting data packets as they enter your cloud network – identifying hidden threats like:
FWaaS solutions automatically (and consistently) apply security policies across your entire cloud network.
This ensures you’re compliant with strict cybersecurity regulations. Also, thanks to its continuous monitoring capabilities, FWaaS also provides detailed reports on your network performance and vulnerabilities.
FWaaS implements a zero trust approach to firewall security, ensuring that every identity in your cloud network is fully authenticated and authorized before they can access resources – no matter who they claim to be, where they’re connecting from, or what permissions they have.
This prevents attackers from escalating their privileges, moving laterally, and breaching critical resources.
Here are a few things to consider before you implement a FWaaS solution.
Check their tool’s offering, their support channels, and what industry they focus on. It’s always worth checking out some customer reviews too.
If you’re using a range of cloud applications, it’s important to make sure that your vendor’s FWaaS solution will work with them all.
FWaaS solutions come with many built-in filtering tools, but not all of them may be relevant to your business.
Some may even lack key features that you need to run your operations and comply with industry standards – so double-check what your vendor includes.
Performing a cost-benefit analysis is key when comparing the pricing of FWaaS vendors.
FWaaS is not a set-and-forget solution. Your team must be ready to proactively review the data it provides and investigate threats.
Protecting your corporate network requires advanced solutions. Equipped with a powerful Firewall as a Service, Check Point SASE provides fast and reliable access to all of your on-prem and cloud resources while safeguarding your network with Zero Trust access, advanced threat prevention, AI-powered security, and more.
Harmony SASE makes it easy for you to implement a strong cloud-based firewall to help you protect your most critical assets and unlock superior internet security performance.
Book a free demo today to find out more.