Next-Gen Firewalls: Still Relevant in 2024?

Introduction

Firewalls have been a cybersecurity staple for decades. But in 2024, with cloud adoption, remote work, and advanced threats, many ask: are next-gen firewalls (NGFWs) still relevant?

What Makes Firewalls ‘Next-Gen’

• Deep packet inspection beyond ports and protocols.
• Application-level control for SaaS and cloud apps.
• Built-in intrusion prevention (IPS).
• Integration with zero trust frameworks.

Why They Still Matter

• Provide a strong perimeter defense where needed.
• Offer visibility into traffic patterns across hybrid environments.
• Act as an anchor point for compliance reporting.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

• Not a silver bullet — still need EDR, MDR, and zero trust.
• Can struggle with fully cloud-native workloads.

Conclusion

Next-gen firewalls remain relevant — but they’re one piece of a bigger puzzle. The businesses winning in 2025 use NGFWs as part of a layered defense strategy.