How to Conduct a Firewall Risk Assessment
Firewall refers to the software or hardware that protects a network by inspecting incoming and outgoing data packets and deciding whether to allow or block them based on a set of security rules. The firewall also blocks unauthorized users from accessing the system, thus helping to prevent vandalism, theft of data and other threats.
The best way to protect against firewall risks is to conduct a thorough risk assessment, which involves reviewing all existing policies and checking for changes. The goal is to determine how well the firewall is protecting your organization and what risks are most pressing. This process can be complicated by the fact that it typically requires significant alterations in the firewall’s architecture and configuration, which can make the project difficult for teams to handle without outside help.
Firewall assessments should be conducted regularly to ensure that the system is up-to-date and addressing new risks. Firewall vendors often release software updates that contain minor patches that can address potential vulnerabilities. Failure to install these patches can leave the firewall vulnerable to attack, so it’s important to ensure that your system is up to date at all times.
Another aspect of the risk assessment is determining how well firewall rules conform to regulatory frameworks. This includes frameworks like PCI-DSS and HIPAA. A key step in this process is to create a ranking of each rule according to its likelihood of breaching compliance requirements. This can then be used to drive the development of mitigation strategies.