Data breaches are increasingly common in today's tech-based workspace. There's more money to be had stealing customer records than going in for cash, and savvy criminals now have their eyes on these valuable goods. In 2016, data breaches increased 40 percent . These breaches rack up numerous costs, from legal fees and data recovery to lost loyalty from customers. Save money by staying proactive about your security. Firewalls Keep Threats Out Your firewall is your first line of defense against malicious attacks. Firewalls help filter information, protecting data that you want to keep inside your security parameters, and keeping hackers at bay on the other side. This will minimize unwanted network communications. The best firewalls also alert your IT security team to any attempted breach , so you can investigate the threat early and seek out malware before it has a chance to root itself in your system. This early alert will help save you from exorbitantly costly attacks. ...