Cyber Essentials - Firewalls

The Cyber Essentials certification scheme is a UK government-backed initiative that aims to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber threats. The scheme includes five technical controls, one of which is firewalls.

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The Cyber Essentials control for firewalls requires organisations to implement a firewall to protect their systems and networks from unauthorised access and cyber-attacks. Specifically, the control requires organisations to:

1. Implement a firewall: Organisations should implement a firewall to control inbound and outbound traffic and prevent unauthorised access to their systems and networks.
2. Configure firewall rules: Firewall rules should be configured to only allow authorised traffic and to block unauthorised traffic. This includes only allowing inbound traffic on necessary ports, and only allowing outbound traffic to authorised destinations.
3. Regularly update firewall rules: Organisations should regularly review and update firewall rules to reflect the latest security risks and threats, as well as changes to their systems and networks.
4. Monitor firewall logs: Firewall logs should be regularly monitored to detect and respond to any unauthorised access attempts or other security incidents.
5. Use next-gen Firewall if possible: Organisations should consider using Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) which has additional features like intrusion prevention, threat intelligence, application control, and more to provide a more robust protection to their systems.

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By implementing these controls and practices, organisations can meet the Cyber Essentials control for firewalls and protect their systems and networks from unauthorised access and cyber-attacks. It's important to keep in mind that the Cyber Essentials is a basic certification that only covers common cyber threats, and organisations should consider other measures as well to achieve a more robust protection.

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