A firewall is a security system that protects one or more computers from unauthorized network access. A firewall restricts people to entering and leaving your network at a carefully controlled point. It also prevents attackers from getting close to your other defenses. Typically, a firewall protects a company's intranet from being improperly accessed through the Internet.
A firewall can enforce a security policy, log Internet activity, and be a focus for security decisions. A firewall can't protect against malicious insiders or connections that don't go through it. A firewall also can't set itself up correctly or protect against completely new threats.
To help explain how firewalls work, some basic networking terms are described here:
If you are already familiar with these topics see Understanding firewall integration.
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