Firewall vs. EDR: A Comprehensive Comparison

In the realm of cybersecurity, understanding the tools and technologies available to protect your organization’s digital assets is crucial. Two widely discussed technologies in this space are Firewalls and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) systems. While both are designed to enhance security, they serve different purposes and operate in distinct ways. This blog will delve deep into what Firewalls and EDR systems are, their key differences, use cases, and how they can complement each other to build a robust security posture.

What is a Firewall?

A firewall is one of the oldest and most foundational components of network security. Its primary purpose is to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined security rules. Firewalls act as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks, such as the internet.

Types of Firewalls

Packet-Filtering Firewalls:

• Examine packets of data and allow or block them based on rules.
• Operate at the network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI model.

Stateful Inspection Firewalls:

• Track the state of active connections and make decisions based on context.