Free Firewall Coverage Template Instance

Obtain this template as a PDF or DOC to switch it in your group:

For extra info, learn our full information to setting a firewall coverage.

Abstract

[Company Name] is dedicated to offering a safe and dependable community infrastructure for our staff, prospects, and companions. One of many key parts of our community safety is our firewall, which is designed to guard our community and programs from unauthorized entry and assaults.

Our firewall coverage is designed to make sure that our firewall is used and managed in a manner that gives the mandatory degree of safety for our community and programs. This coverage outlines the scope of our firewall, together with its function, configuration, administration, and testing. It additionally gives tips for entry management, firewall exceptions, enforcement, documentation, and violations and penalties.

Function

This firewall coverage goals to outline the principles, procedures, and tips for utilizing firewalls in [Company Name]. Following our group’s total safety necessities, the firewall will likely be configured to carry out the next safety companies:

• Block undesirable site visitors utilizing a firewall.
• Management entry between the trusted inner community and untrusted exterior networks.
• Log site visitors going to and from the interior community.
• Present sturdy authentication.
• Present digital non-public community (VPN) connectivity for safe distant entry.
• Cover susceptible inner programs from the web.
• Preserve delicate info (comparable to system names, community topologies, and inner person IDs) hidden from the web.

Scope

This firewall coverage applies to all staff, contractors, distributors, and different third-party entities accessing our group’s community and programs. It additionally applies to all gadgets that hook up with our community, together with computer systems, servers, cellular gadgets, and different network-enabled gadgets.

The coverage covers all firewalls and associated parts, together with {hardware}, software program, and configuration settings, no matter their location or possession. This consists of firewalls deployed at our group’s information facilities, places of work, distant websites, and cloud environments.

Exceptions

Exceptions to firewall guidelines and insurance policies could also be requested by licensed personnel when the enterprise requires entry to particular companies or ports that aren’t allowed by default. Firewall exceptions have to be accepted by the suitable authority and documented in accordance with [Company Name] safety necessities and {industry} greatest practices.

The next tips have to be adopted when requesting and approving firewall exceptions:

• Approval: All firewall exceptions have to be accepted by [name of the department/personnel in charge]. The approval course of ought to embody an evaluation of the dangers related to the exception and the justification for the enterprise want.
• Documentation: All firewall exceptions have to be documented and saved securely. This documentation should embody info on the precise companies and ports which are allowed by means of the firewall, the explanation for the exception, and the approval authority.
• Evaluation: Firewall exceptions have to be reviewed repeatedly to make sure they’re nonetheless required and never introducing pointless dangers to the community and programs.
• Elimination: Firewall exceptions have to be eliminated when they’re now not required or when the enterprise want now not exists.

Firewall Configuration

All firewalls utilized by our group have to be configured in accordance with our safety necessities and {industry} greatest practices. The firewall configuration have to be documented and reviewed repeatedly to make sure it’s updated and efficient.

The next tips have to be adopted when configuring firewalls:

• Default Deny: The firewall have to be configured to dam all incoming site visitors aside from the precise companies and ports required for enterprise operations.
• Least Privilege: Entry to firewall configurations and settings ought to be restricted to solely licensed personnel with a respectable want. Entry controls ought to be applied utilizing {industry} greatest practices comparable to role-based entry management (RBAC) or multifactor authentication (MFA).
• Documentation: All firewall configurations, modifications, and exceptions have to be documented and saved securely. This documentation should embody info on the precise companies and ports allowed by means of the firewall, in addition to any exceptions which have been granted.
• Catastrophe Restoration: Procedures have to be in place to get well firewall configurations and settings throughout a catastrophe or different emergency.

Firewall Testing

Common testing of [Company Name]’s firewall is crucial to our total safety program. Firewall testing helps be sure that our firewall is functioning as meant and gives the mandatory degree of safety for our community and programs.

The next tips have to be adopted when conducting firewall testing:

• Frequency: Firewall testing have to be performed frequently. The frequency of testing ought to be decided based mostly on the extent of danger related to our community and programs and in accordance with {industry} greatest practices.
• Methodology: Firewall testing ought to be performed utilizing industry-standard methodologies comparable to vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, or firewall rule assessment.
• Testing Eventualities: Firewall testing ought to embody varied situations, comparable to testing for recognized vulnerabilities, testing for zero-day vulnerabilities, testing for misconfigurations, and testing for site visitors filtering.
• Updates and Patches: Firewalls have to be up to date with the most recent safety patches and updates to make sure that they’re protected towards the most recent safety threats.
• Reporting: The outcomes of firewall testing have to be documented and reported to [name of the department/personnel].
• Remediation: Any vulnerabilities or misconfigurations found throughout firewall testing have to be remediated promptly. Remediation have to be tracked and documented to make sure that all points are addressed and resolved.

Firewall Documentation

Correct documentation ensures that our firewall is configured appropriately and is offering the mandatory degree of safety for our community and programs.

The next tips have to be adopted when documenting our firewall:

• Configuration Documentation: Our firewall have to be documented intimately, together with its configuration settings, community topology, and firewall guidelines. This documentation have to be up to date and available to licensed personnel.
• Change Administration Documentation: Any modifications made to our firewall have to be documented intimately, together with the explanation for the change, the one who made the change, and the date and time of the change. This documentation have to be up to date and available to licensed personnel.
• Community Diagrams: Community diagrams ought to be created as an example the general community topology and the place of the firewall inside the community.
• Customary Working Procedures (SOPs): Customary Working Procedures have to be developed for the administration of the firewall. These SOPs ought to embody particulars on configuration modifications, testing, monitoring, and incident response.
• Retention Interval: All firewall documentation have to be retained for a specified interval in accordance with {industry} greatest practices and any authorized or regulatory necessities.

Violations and Penalties

Violations of our firewall coverage might end in disciplinary motion, together with termination of employment or contract. 

Examples of violations of our firewall coverage embody:

• Trying to bypass the firewall.
• Making unauthorized modifications to the firewall configuration.
• Disabling the firewall or any of its parts.
• Sharing firewall credentials with unauthorized personnel.
• Failing to report violations of our firewall coverage.

Acknowledgment of Firewall Coverage

This kind is used to acknowledge receipt of and compliance with the group’s Firewall Coverage.

PROCEDURE

Full the next steps:

1. Learn the Firewall Coverage.
2. Signal and date within the areas supplied.
3. Return this web page solely to [department in charge—often, but not always, the HR manager].

SIGNATURE

Your signature attests that you just comply with the next phrases:

1. I’ve acquired and skim a replica of the Firewall Coverage and perceive and comply with the identical.
2. I perceive the group might monitor the implementation of and adherence to this coverage to assessment the outcomes.
3. I perceive that violations of the Firewall Coverage may consequence within the termination of my employment and authorized motion towards me.

DISCLAIMER: THIS POLICY IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE LEGAL QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS POLICY, PLEASE SPEAK WITH YOUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT OR ATTORNEY.