11

Firewall

This chapter shows you how to configure your ZyWALL’s firewall.

11.1 Firewall Overview

The networking term firewall is a system or group of systems that enforces an access-control policy between two networks. It is generally a mechanism used to protect a trusted network from an untrusted network.

The ZyWALL physically separates the LAN, DMZ, WLAN and the WAN and acts as a secure gateway for all data passing between the networks. The ZyWALL protects against Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, prevents theft, destruction and modification of data, and logs events.

Enable the firewall to protect your LAN computers from attacks by hackers on the Internet and control access between the LAN, DMZ, WLAN and WAN. By default the firewall:

•allows traffic that originates from your LAN computers to go to all of the networks.

•blocks traffic that originates on the other networks from going to the LAN.

•allows traffic that originates on the WLAN to go to the WAN.

•allows traffic that originates on the WAN to go to the DMZ and protects your DMZ computers against DoS attacks.

•allows VPN traffic between any of the networks.

The following figure illustrates the default firewall action. User A can initiate an IM (Instant Messaging) session from the LAN to the WAN (1). Return traffic for this session is also allowed (2). However other traffic initiated from the WAN is blocked (3 and 4).

Figure 123 Default Firewall Action

 

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ZyWALL 2 Plus User’s Guide