About The Firewall Rule, Firewall Setting, And Intrusion Prevention Processing Order; Changing The Order Of Firewall Rules - Symantec 20032623 - Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition Implementation Manual

About the firewall rule, firewall setting, and intrusion prevention
processing order

Changing the order of firewall rules

Firewall rules are ordered sequentially, from highest to lowest priority, or from
the top to bottom in the rules list. If the first rule does not specify how to handle
a packet, the firewall inspects the second rule. This process continues until the
firewall finds a match. After the firewall finds a match, the firewall takes the
action that the rule specifies. Subsequent lower priority rules are not inspected.
For example, if a rule that blocks all traffic is listed first, followed by a rule that
allows all traffic, the client blocks all traffic.
You can order rules according to exclusivity. The most restrictive rules are
evaluated first, and the most general rules are evaluated last. For example, you
should place the rules that block traffic near the top of the rules list. The rules
that are lower in the list might allow the traffic.
The Rules list contains a blue dividing line. The dividing line sets the priority of
rules when a subgroup inherits rules from a parent group.
See Changing the order of firewall rules"
See How a firewall works"
See How intrusion prevention works"
The firewall processes the list of firewall rules from the top down. You can
determine how the firewall processes firewall rules by changing their order.
Note: For better protection, place the most restrictive rules first and the least
restrictive rules last.
To change the order of firewall rules
1 In the console, open a Firewall policy.
2 In the Firewall Policy page, click Rules, and then select the rule that you
want to move.
3 Do one of the following tasks:
To process this rule before the previous rule, click Move Up.
To process this rule after the rule below it, click Move Down.
4 Click OK.
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Managing firewall protection
About firewall rules
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