In computer networking, a network
firewall acts as
a barrier against potential malicious activity, while still allowing a "door" for people to communicate between your secured network and an open, unsecured network. Originally, a firewall consisted of a single machine or "box," now referred to as a
bastion
host, that sat between a private network and the Internet.
- Firewall: A security system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both.
- Bastion host: Strongly secured devices that have a direct network connection to a public network such as the Internet. It can operate as any of the three types of firewalls.
Demilitarized zones (DMZ) are networks that are between a company's internal network and the external network. A DMZ is used as an
additional buffer to further separate the public network from your internal private network. Routers generally begin and end the DMZ.
Describe Firewall- Exercise
Click the Exercise button to complete a short matching exercise reviewing firewall terminology.
Describe Firewall- Exercise
[1]Choke point: An intersection between a company's private and a public network used to monitor, filter, and verify all inbound and outbound traffic.
[2]Common Gateway Interface (CGI): A protocol that allows a Web server to pass control to a software application, based on a user request. It also allows that program to receive and organize that information, then return it to the user in a consistent format. A CGI script resides on a Web server, enabling the CGI process.