Your Firewall Needs More Than a One-Time Setup

Your firewall may have been installed when your business opened or the last time you moved offices. Since then, you've probably added employees, connected new equipment, or given people ways to work from home.

The internet still works. But when was the last time someone reviewed the firewall?

Who is keeping it updated? Who checks the rules? And who notices when an old account or temporary exception is still there?

A recent Palo Alto Networks vulnerability is a good reminder of why those questions matter.

What the Palo Alto Networks Vulnerability Means

CVE-2026-0322 affects certain PAN-OS software versions used by Palo Alto Networks firewalls and management systems. It can allow an attacker to run code as root, the system's highest level of access.

To exploit it, the attacker must already be authenticated with high privileges and be able to reach the management interface, the tools used to administer the device.

Palo Alto Networks reports very limited exploitation and recommends prompt remediation. Affected devices need the appropriate software update. Not every Palo Alto Networks product is affected: Cloud NGFW and Prisma Access are unaffected. Palo Alto Networks advisory.

For a business owner, that means asking whether your equipment is affected and who is responsible for checking and updating it.

Working Internet Does Not Tell the Whole Story

A firewall can keep passing traffic while an update is overdue or an unnecessary access rule remains in place.

The same applies to its administrative tools. Who can reach them, and from where? Palo Alto Networks recommends keeping management access away from the internet and other untrusted networks. Management-access guidance.

These are questions worth asking about the way your network is managed, regardless of which firewall you use.

Starting a Business? Start With the Network.

How many employees and devices will connect? Will customers use guest Wi-Fi? Will anyone work remotely? What might change as the business grows?

Those answers should help shape the installation.

Red Garrison can help plan and install a firewall that fits your business, from choosing appropriately sized equipment to configuring how it connects with your internet service, switches, and wireless network.

That includes thinking through who needs access to what. Guest Wi-Fi may need to be separated from employee systems. Remote access needs to be controlled. Administrative access should be limited to the people responsible for managing the equipment.

Before calling the job finished, the configuration should be tested, documented, and paired with a clear plan for maintenance. Opening day is a good time to know who will handle the next update.

Already Have a Firewall? Start With a Review.

Your existing firewall may still meet your needs. A review can help determine what needs attention before you decide whether to update, reconfigure, or replace it.

Think about what may have changed since installation. A temporary rule can outlive the project it supported. A vendor's old account can remain active. Software updates can be missed when everyone assumes someone else is handling them.

Start with four questions:

·  Is the software current, and is the equipment still supported?

·  Who has administrative access, and can management tools be reached from places they shouldn't be?

·  Do the rules, guest-network separation, and remote-access settings still fit the business?

·  Are logs reviewed and configurations backed up, and does someone clearly own those responsibilities?

Red Garrison can help review those details, prioritize improvements, and discuss ongoing firewall management as your business changes. That can include update planning, configuration changes, rule reviews, and monitoring.

Would Your Organization Catch It?

If someone used an old account tomorrow, would anyone notice?

If a security update became urgent, who would check whether it applied to your equipment?

And if the person who normally handles the firewall were unavailable, would someone else know what to do?

Clear answers help turn a piece of equipment into a security control your business can depend on.

How Red Garrison Can Help

Whether you're starting a business, moving offices, or managing an existing network, your firewall needs a plan for both installation and ongoing care.

Contact Red Garrison to discuss a new firewall installation, a review of your current setup, or ongoing management. We'll confirm equipment support, your needs, and who's responsible for each part of the work before getting started.

We think like attackers. We work like partners.