Streamlining Firewall Rules
Firewalls are the first line of defense against threats in the network. To ensure that they are working effectively, you should keep the rules well designed and optimized. The firewall rule base is typically full of redundant elements, duplicates, and unnecessary rules. By streamlining the rules, you can increase network security while ensuring that only the most important rules are being applied. You can also eliminate shadow rules, which can slow the firewall down and prevent other, more important rules from being applied.
Different types of firewalls use different methods of filtering traffic. They can also be classified as stateful, packet-based, or application-specific. Stateful inspection firewalls, for instance, allow or deny incoming and outgoing data traffic based on the network’s state. This type of firewall monitors activity starting with the opening of the connection, and filters based on an administrator-defined set of rules. These rules can include information about IP addresses, ports, and packet protocols.
Firewalls have evolved over the past decade. One important advancement was the introduction of stateful inspection firewalls by Gil Shwed in 1993. Another important development in the firewall technology was the introduction of purpose-built firewalls by Netscreen in 2000. These firewalls quickly became popular among enterprises, as they provide increased throughput and speed while reducing latency.