Why is a firewall not sufficient to protect a network from malware?

A firewall is an essential component of network security, but it has limitations that make it insufficient as a standalone protection method against malware.

The first point highlights that some malware can indeed bypass firewalls by using encrypted channels. Attackers may use encryption to hide their activities from standard firewall scrutiny, allowing malicious traffic to pass unchallenged.

Additionally, firewalls typically focus on controlling traffic based on preset rules to block unauthorized access. Their primary function is to filter incoming and outgoing network traffic but does not inherently include capabilities to assess the content of communications for malicious intent.

Furthermore, firewalls generally do not scan for viruses or malware. While they can prevent unauthorized access and certain types of malware delivery mechanisms, they do not actively identify or eliminate malware that may already be present in the system or infiltrated the network in a different way.

Considering these points, all of them contribute to the reason why a firewall alone does not provide sufficient protection against malware, leading to the conclusion that the most comprehensive understanding involves all the factors mentioned.