Given the expansive nature of the field of Cyber Security Course, Cyber Attacks and Threats can be of diverse types. This means that it is important to have defensive mechanisms which will be suited to different forms of threatening situations. This is where the issue of Firewall vs. Antivirus becomes significant. Even though both the instruments help in ensuring security; they help in addressing this issue through different means. Thus, the difference between Antivirus and Firewall is very much a real one and needs to be carefully looked at.
In this blog, we shall try to look at the difference between Firewall and Antivirus, by understanding the fundamental idea behind each of the concept. Moreover, in order to make things simpler, we shall try to address the issue of Antivirus vs. Firewall, through a synoptic comparison table.
What is Firewall?
Functions of Firewall
Advantages of Firewall
What is Antivirus?
Functions of Antivirus
Advantages of Antivirus
What is the Difference between Firewall and Antivirus?
Firewall vs. Antivirus: A Look at the Comparison Table
Conclusion
What is Firewall?
A firewall operates as a barrier between the Internet and a LAN (internal network and incoming traffic from external sources). It operates on the boundaries of a network, supervising network traffic and thereby blocking malicious traffic in the form of malware, viruses, worms and so on. Firewalls can be seen as quite a systemic form of Cyber protection which can be used to cover a network of computers along with the whole system of infrastructure and configuration by erecting an obstacle against possible attacks.
There are three common types of firewalls:
Proxy Firewalls/Application Gateway
Application level filtering of network traffic
Packet-filtering Firewalls/Screening Router
Packets are scrutinized and are allowed to pass through a firewall only when they match an established security rule-set
Stateful Multilayer Inspection (SMLI) Firewall
Packets are filtered at the Transport, Application and Network layers. Comparison is made with known trusted packets
Functions of Firewall
Ensuring the Passage of Network Traffic from the Outside to the Inside and vice-versa through the Firewall
Performs the task of Packet Filtering
Detecting and Blocking attempts for Unauthorized Access
Preventing the Leakage of Sensitive Data and Information by restricting transfer of Confidential Files
Safeguards and Prevents the Modification of Crucial Data
Advantages of Firewall
Data Protection
Keeps Hackers at Bay
Monitors Network Traffic and Offers Security
Blocks Spyware and Promotes Privacy
Provides for Easy Installation
What is Antivirus?
An antivirus is a software program which is installed in a system, helping to deal with different kinds of threats which might impair the security of the network or the system. These threats can be in the form of malware, worms and viruses, spyware, Trojan horses or any other malicious and suspicious entity which has the potential to undermine the security of the system.
Functions of Antivirus
Detection: An antivirus performs the role of detecting potential threats, viruses or even attempts being made to infect the system with malware.
Identification: After detecting a particular virus, the antivirus tries to identify the kind, type and characteristics of the virus.
Removal: By this function, the antivirus tries to remove the suspicious entity from the system. It seeks to remove and delete the infected file and consequently restore the original backup program/file.
Advantages of Antivirus
It offers protection against viruses and other forms of malicious threats
It helps in blocking susceptible ads and spam websites
It helps in protecting personal sensitive information
Antivirus can act as an important safeguard against the activities of hackers and cyber criminals
Prevents the transmission of viruses through scanning of removable devices like USBs
It acts as a police which scans all possible files which enters the system and blocks the infected ones
It offers protection from spyware and phishing attacks
It helps restricting activities on unauthorized websites which can be a potential getaway for Cyber Attacks
What is the Difference between Firewall and Antivirus?
Ø Security vs. Inhibition
Firewalls help in regulating network traffic by way of observing it for possible detection of malicious viruses and other forms of threats. However, such suspicious bodies can make their way to your system through other means as well, besides network traffic. This is where the role of the antivirus becomes important. By way of scanning all new entrants into the system, antivirus helps in obliterating and further segregating all possible corrupt and infected files.
Ø Difference between Antivirus and Firewall in terms of their Basic Concept
The basic idea behind a firewall and an antirvirus is to provide security. However, a firewall is essentially designed to safeguard private and public networks from possible security attacks and threats. In contrast, an antivirus is a software program which protects the system essentially from internal threats.
Ø Variance in Purpose
The objective of an antivirus program is to identify, scan, block and delete infected and malicious files. The objective of firewall is the inspection of the flow of data from the Internet to the systems, in order to restrict any form of unauthorized access.
Firewall vs. Antivirus: A Look at the Comparison Table
In this section of the blog, we shall look at the difference between Firewall and Antivirus in a tabular format.
Firewall
It is a hardware/software security network designed to safeguard network and systems from Malicious Attacks and Unauthorized Access
Primarily deals with External Threats
The objective of a firewall is to monitor network traffic
One of the loopholes is that it can provide for counter attack in the form of Router Attack and IP Spoofing
It inspects threats from incoming packets
It is relatively more costly and complex than a normal antivirus program
It works at the network protocol level and seeks to safeguard the entire network from harmful data packets
It is an outer layer of security which can sometimes be bypassed as in the case of connecting devices like USBs
Can be employed in hardware as well as software
One of the drawbacks of firewall is that it is incapable of providing protection against internal threats and also in the face of those malicious bodies which somehow pass through the firewall barrier
Antivirus
It is a software utility program which is essentially designed to protect systems from malicious harmful entities which exist within the system
Deals with Internal as well as External Threats
The objective of an antivirus is to scan, detect, prevent and delete infected files and programs
Counter attacks are not possible
It inspects threats from susceptive malicious software
It is relatively cheaper and cost-effective
It works at the level of individual systems seeking to protect it from all sorts of malware and spyware
It results in scanning of all new entrants into the system
Can be implemented only in software
One of the drawbacks of an antivirus
program is that it cannot check read-only files
Conclusion
It is evident that the issue of Firewall vs. Antivirus is not necessarily of one against the other. Both the Cyber Security mechanisms serve different objectives and are meant to cater to different forms of security needs. Thus, the difference between Firewall and Antivirus is largely in terms of their fundamentals and the differing form of security that each of them provides.
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