Introduction to Firewalls
Firewalls are an essential component of network security. They are designed to protect networks and devices from unauthorized access and malware. Firewalls come with a range of features that can be customized to meet specific security needs. In this lesson, we will discuss some of the key features of firewalls.
One of the primary features of a firewall is packet filtering. Packet filtering involves examining each packet that attempts to enter or exit a network and deciding whether to allow or block it based on predefined rules. These rules can be based on criteria such as IP addresses, port numbers, and protocols.
Another feature of firewalls is stateful inspection. This involves analyzing the context of each packet to determine whether it is part of an established connection or a new connection attempt. Stateful inspection can help to prevent attacks such as TCP SYN flooding.
Firewalls can also provide application-level gateways, which are designed to inspect incoming and outgoing traffic at the application layer. This allows firewalls to enforce more granular policies, such as blocking specific types of traffic or limiting traffic to certain applications.
Some firewalls also include intrusion detection and prevention capabilities. These features allow firewalls to detect and block attacks that attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in network services or applications.
Another important feature of firewalls is virtual private network (VPN) support. VPNs provide secure connectivity between remote sites or users and a central network. Firewalls can be configured to support various VPN protocols, such as IPsec and SSL.
Finally, firewalls can be configured to log traffic and security events, which can be used for auditing and forensic purposes. These logs can provide valuable information about security incidents and network traffic patterns.
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