Firewalls - Watchguard Firebox X20E User Manual

Firewalls

Firewalls
A firewall separates your trusted computers on the internal network from the external network, or the
Internet, to decrease risk of an external attack. The figure below shows how a firewall divides the
trusted computers from the Internet.
Firewalls use access policies to identify and filter different types of information. They can also control
which policies or ports the protected computers can use on the Internet (outbound access). Many fire-
walls have sample security policies, and users can select the policy that is best for them. With others,
including the Firebox® X Edge e-Series, the user can customize these policies.
Firewalls can be in the form of hardware or software. A firewall protects private networks from
unauthorized users on the Internet. All traffic that enters the trusted or protected networks must
6 Firebox X Edge e-Series