Are You Leaving the Front Door Unlocked? Why You Need A Managed Firewall

A look at how small mistakes lead to big breaches — and how managed firewall services can help.

Firewalls do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to keeping your business safe online. But even the best firewall can’t protect you if it’s misconfigured or out of date — like having a top-of-the-line lock but forgetting to latch it. And keeping it running smoothly isn’t always simple. Cyberthreats evolve constantly, but most firewall breaches still come down to something pretty basic: human error. A missed update here, a setting that’s too loose there, and suddenly your network is vulnerable. That’s why more businesses are turning to managed firewall services. They take the pressure off your team and make sure your firewall is actually doing what it’s supposed to.

It's Not the Firewall—It's the Setup

Surprisingly, most firewall breaches don’t happen because the technology failed. They happen because something wasn’t set up right or didn’t get updated. According to Gartner, 99% of firewall breaches are caused by misconfigurations, not hardware or software flaws. And Tenable reported that in 2022, around 800 million records were exposed due to misconfigurations.

That’s not a knock on your IT team. It’s just the reality of a fast-moving, high-pressure environment where something can easily slip through the cracks. The threat landscape is constantly changing, meaning that configurations also change frequently—and it can be impossible to keep up.

For a visualization of how misconfigurations can create avoidable risks, check out our infographic. 

Real-World Wake-Up Calls

The Capital One breach in 2019 affected more than 100 million people, all because of a firewall misconfiguration. A similar situation happened at Equifax in 2017, where an unpatched vulnerability contributed to one of the biggest data breaches in history.

And this isn’t just history. In 2022, Pegasus Airlines exposed 6.5 terabytes of sensitive data due to a misconfigured AWS S3 bucket. That same year, ransomware groups took down nearly 30 Costa Rican government institutions by exploiting unpatched systems. It shut down tax operations and healthcare services, costing tens of millions in damages.

What do all these incidents have in common? None of them happened because the firewall didn’t work. They happened because something small went unchecked.

A Smarter Way to Stay Secure

If your team’s already stretched thin, keeping firewalls perfectly configured and updated just might not be realistic. That’s where managed firewall services come in.

Instead of trying to handle everything in-house, you can lean on a team of experts whose entire job is making sure your firewall is set up, updated, and monitored properly. They apply patches on time, catch configuration issues early, and help avoid the small mistakes that often lead to big breaches.

And since they're monitoring your firewall around the clock, nothing important gets missed—no matter what time it is.

Why Managed Firewalls Make Sense

Letting a trusted provider manage your firewall brings several advantages that go beyond just saving time. You’ll improve your overall security posture and reduce the risk of misconfigurations and missed updates. You also free up your internal team to focus on more strategic tasks, which is something that’s especially valuable for those with limited resources.

Managed firewalls scale with your business. Whether you’re growing your team, expanding to new locations, or taking on more devices, your security keeps pace without adding more complexity. And because managed services usually include better reporting and documentation, they can help simplify compliance efforts too.

Don't Wait for a Breach to Make a Change

Here’s the bottom line: most breaches that involve firewalls don’t happen because the firewall wasn’t good enough. They happen because someone didn’t update it or configured it incorrectly. That’s not a flaw in your team, it’s just the reality of managing too much with too little.

Managed firewall services help take that risk off your plate. They give you reliable, expert-level support to make sure your defenses stay strong, without adding more stress to your day.

If your firewall management is starting to feel like a guessing game, maybe it’s time to get a little help. Your team will thank you—and so will your future incident reports.