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Difference between Firewall and Antivirus: A Critical Look at the Debate

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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