Cyber security is now an issue that is not only on the IT department’s but also the CEO’s desk. Ransomware attacks, phishing campaigns, supply chain attacks… It doesn’t disappear from the news headlines. As CloudSpark, we provide security support to at least one customer every week.
What is Azure Firewall?
Azure Firewall is a cloud-based network security service. Protects your VNet resources and controls incoming/outgoing traffic.
Basic Abilities
- L3-L7 layer filtering rules
- FQDN based application rules
- Threat intelligence based filtering
- IDPS (Intrusion Detection and Prevention System) – Premium
- TLS inspection – Premium
- DNS Proxy support
Azure Firewall Manager
Manage multiple firewalls from a single point with central security policy management. Secured Virtual Hub and Hub VNet architectures.
So what are the alternatives?
Cloudspark Security Solutions
Check out our Azure security services.
Why Is It So Important?
Let me give you a figure: In 2024, the global cost of cybercrime exceeded 9.5 trillion dollars. This is a figure that could be the third largest economy in the world. Moreover, attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Now, not only large companies, but even SMEs with 10 people are becoming targets.
The CloudSpark team’s advice in this area generally works well.
What Do We Do As CloudSpark?
As CloudSpark, we provide end-to-end support to our customers in this area. Needs analysis, architectural design, implementation and then 24/7 support. With our 15+ years of experience, we implement your project in the most accurate way. For detailed information, contact us.
Threat Environment: Current Situation 2025-2026
Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated every year. Ransomware attacks in Turkey increased by 47% in 2025. Targeted attacks now hit not only large institutions, but even SMEs with 50 people.
Attackers personalize phishing emails with artificial intelligence-powered tools. Now “Your cargo has arrived” Instead, they use highly convincing messages crafted with information extracted from the target’s LinkedIn profile. That’s why classical awareness training is not enough.
One of our customers encountered just such an attack last month. The fake invoice email sent to the finance department forged the CEO’s real signature. Fortunately, CloudSpark’s email security layer caught this.
Layers of Defense and Strategy
No single security product can protect you. A layered defense in depth approach is a must. Endpoint protection, network security, email filtering, identity management and data loss prevention—it all needs to be considered together.
Zero Trust architecture, “trust, always verify” is based on the principle. It doesn’t even trust traffic within the network. Each access request is evaluated with user ID, device status and location information.
Our SOC (Security Operations Center) team monitors 24/7. We analyzed 2.3 million security incidents last year. 1,847 of these were classified as real threats and were responded to within an average of 12 minutes.
Compliance and Legal Requirements
Within the scope of KVKK (Personal Data Protection Law), the data breach notification period is 72 hours. Within this period, you must detect the violation and inform the affected people and institution. Being caught unprepared means both legal and reputational risks.
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS — there are different compliance frameworks depending on your industry. CloudSpark also provides consultancy to its customers in their compliance processes. We don’t just sell technology, we create a security culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should the cyber security budget be?
It is recommended to allocate 10-15% of the IT budget to security. However, this percentage varies by sector — it can reach 20% in finance and healthcare. The important thing is to direct investment to the right areas. Instead of buying cheap antivirus and removing expensive SIEM, it is necessary to make a decision based on risk analysis.
Establishing a SOC team or outsourcing?
Establishing a SOC team of 50 people means an annual cost of 15-20 million TL. Managed SOC service corresponds to 20-30% of this cost. CloudSpark’s Managed SOC service provides 24/7 monitoring and instant response. Instead of having your team work 3 shifts with at least 5 security experts, leave it to us.
How often should penetration testing be done?
Comprehensive penetration testing is recommended at least once a year. After major changes (infrastructure migration, new application deployment) additional testing should be performed. The combination of black box, gray box and white box tests gives the most comprehensive results.
Make a Difference with CloudSpark
CloudSpark, as Turkey’s leading cloud technologies and digital transformation partner, serves with its expert staff in the field of Azure Firewall: Cloud Network Security and Traffic Control. We offer 24/7 technical support, proactive monitoring and customer-specific solution architecture.
Contact us for a free consultation. Let’s analyze your existing infrastructure and design together the solution that best suits your needs.
Firewall Policy Management
Azure Firewall Manager enables centralized policy management across multiple firewalls. Firewall Policies support hierarchical organization where parent policies define common rules and child policies add location-specific or business-unit-specific rules. Threat Intelligence automatically blocks traffic to and from known malicious IP addresses and domains using Microsoft’s global threat intelligence database.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Azure Firewall and NSG?
NSG operates at Layer 4 with basic IP and port filtering. Azure Firewall operates at Layers 4-7, offering FQDN filtering, threat intelligence, IDPS, TLS inspection, and centralized logging. For simple scenarios, NSG suffices. For enterprise network security requiring centralized control and advanced threat protection, Azure Firewall is the appropriate choice. Both can be used together.
