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What is it?

Firewall testing is a test of the first line of defence for your infrastructure. Specifically it is used to examine the configuration of existing firewalls and offer techniques for improvement.

Why do it?

Firewall Testing or auditing differs from other security testing services in that it is focussed on a very specific aspect of the network. Whilst firewalls are effectively invisible to day to day users of your network; they are a critical component. The costs of downtime are well known and the simplest error in configuration can mean an unreliable and ineffective firewall. Most firewalls have been developed with security in mind so are less likely to have vulnerabilities in the architecture. However, such vulnerabilities are not unknown and vulnerabilities do exist in many popular firewalls. These are generally centred on administrative interfaces that are not usually openly accessible, but it is not uncommon to find administrative 'back doors' left by the installation team.

What it means to your organisation?

It is important to ensure that the firewalls which you have in place are actually doing the job they are meant to. Organisations may have a false sense of security if firewalls are in place, but if they are poorly configured they may be providing little or no protection.

Why work with MWR InfoSecurity?

Our reports provide easy to understand mapping which highlights any areas where best practice has not been followed.

Firstly, we review if the rules in place are providing optimum protection to your organisation. To get a genuine picture of what traffic can pass through the firewall our test team will use a wide range of techniques covering all types of traffic. Intensive scanning and firewall traversal techniques allow for clear picture to be built up of what your firewall is blocking and allowing through.

The knowledge that you have a secure and well-configured perimeter can allow you to focus on the task of delivering your services - securely. Whether your firewall is managed by a third party or has been installed by your own IT team, our testing allows for the configuration to be verified while providing you with reassurance that it is not going to be exploited or comprise your network defences.