What is it?
A firewall security assessment evaluates firewall rules, access controls, and segmentation strategies. It ensures these critical perimeter and internal defence tools are effectively restricting and filtering traffic based on defined security policies.
What could happen?
If firewalls are not properly tuned, attackers may exploit overly permissive rules to access sensitive network segments. This can facilitate data breaches, lateral movement, and disruption of critical systems, undermining both security and compliance efforts.
What to do about it?
Foundational: Perform a basic rule review, removing stale or clearly unnecessary rules to tighten access.
Outcome: Immediate reduction in potential entry points.
Enhanced: Use automated firewall audit tools to identify overly permissive rules, ensure rule standardisation, and verify proper segmentation of sensitive systems.
Outcome: Improved consistency and reduced human error.
Comprehensive: Implement a centralised firewall management platform with continuous validation of rules, integrating with network security policies and micro-segmentation practices.
Outcome: Sustained, adaptive network security that meets evolving organisational needs.
