Some companies ignore them.
Some companies fear them.
Few companies dedicate the proper resources to them.

WebPerception wants your business to be secure.
WebPerception believes your first-line of defense should be a router with an Access Control List (ACL). ACL's are router statements that limit who can access your network. WebPerception also recommends using Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT) for your local area network.

It's easy to see what can happen when routers go wrong or are hacked: Unproductive employees, lost information and lost revenue!
A router is your first line of defense against hackers.
Hackers love hacking businesses and a hacker can be your last disgruntled employee or a friend of your last disgruntled employee!!!

The best way to avoid these situations is to have a professional install and maintain a router at your company's Internet connection.
Whether your company has one computer or an entire computer network the risks to running an unprotected network on the Internet are HUGE.
WebPerception can give you the benefit of professional experience accumulated over many years which will help you make decisions to better handle your routing and security needs.

WebPerception is a reseller of Cisco products and offers onsite and offsite Router Configuration for $125 per hour between the hours of 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday (holidays excepted) and after hours for $175 per hour- an appointment is a good idea.
Firewalls should be a companies second line of defense and should be installed behind the router but before the network. Some professionals will install what is known as a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which is an area reserved for Web servers, etc. WebPerception urges extreme caution when deploying this scheme. WebPerception does not install firewalls except for Cisco Routers employing NAT and PAT and the Cisco Private Internet Exchange (PIX) box. The PIX box uses NAT and high-level encryption for the ultimate in firewall protection.

Corporate Network Security

Every network is susceptible to security breaches and unauthorized access from external as well as internal sources. Since your network may contain sensitive data (such as financial information, personnel files, marketing plans and other business information) network protection and protection of the data on the network is important for your organization. Sensitive data must be protected, not only from users within the network, but from outside users as well. The network security concerns of all organizations expanding their internal networks and connecting to the Internet must be addressed.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that of all reported cases of unauthorized access to corporate networks in the is that unauthorized access to information within a network may go undetected, particularly if the unauthorized user or hacker does not alter the network or its data. An Ernst & Young study reported that 85% of respondents thought that information security risks had increased and more than 85% of respondents currently using the Internet indicated a desire to increase Internet applications, if there were adequate security solutions available.
Ultimate security is to disconnect from the network. However, for companies who wish to exploit the commercial potential of the Internet and in so doing get closer to their customers and bring together remote corporate sites and employees, this is not an option.