What is a host-based firewall?

A host-based firewall is specifically designed to protect individual computers or devices within a network. It operates at the endpoint level, analyzing and controlling the data traffic that comes in and out of the device. This type of firewall can help safeguard a computer from various threats such as malware, unauthorized access, and network attacks by monitoring application data and enforcing security rules directly on the host system.

One of the key features of a host-based firewall is that it provides more granular control compared to network-based firewalls, as it can be customized according to the specific needs of the device. It can also be particularly effective in environments where multiple devices may have different security requirements.

In contrast, a firewall that monitors entire network traffic focuses on the overarching data flows across an entire network rather than at the individual device level. A hardware appliance filtering network traffic serves to manage and secure communications for an entire network, rather than targeting specific devices. A firewall used for managing web applications focuses on protecting web applications from various vulnerabilities and does not serve the specific purpose of controlling traffic at the host level.