Introduction to Firewalls from Pluralsight

This course will demystify the operation of a firewall by explaining its purpose and how it operates. You'll learn concepts like network trust levels, TCP, access control lists, network address translation, and application inspection.

Firewalls are one of the oldest and most important security appliances in a network. In this course, Introduction to Firewalls, you’ll learn the purpose of a firewall, how applications/network traffic is allowed in and out of the firewall, and how next generation firewalls use application inspection to add additional protection to the network. First, you’ll explore the fundamentals of a firewall, learning how trust levels are used, and how the firewall passes traffic from trusted networks to untrusted networks. Next, you’ll discover how firewalls implement access control lists to filter traffic, as well how network address translation (NAT) is implemented. Finally, you’ll learn how next generation firewalls can add additional protections to the network by scanning for potential threats in application network traffic. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of firewall basics to better understand how this mysterious appliance operates in the network.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Introduction to Firewalls

Firewall Access Control Lists

Network Address Translation

NAT in the Real World

The DMZ and Screened Subnets

Non-TCP Protocols and Firewalls

Next Generation Firewalls and Application Inspection

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Suitable for absolute beginners with no knowledge of firewalls

Suitable for IT professionals wanting to increase their knowledge of the operation of firewalls

Introduces fundamental firewall concepts such as network trust levels and access control lists

Provides insights into how next-generation firewalls utilize application inspection for improved network protection

Limited coverage of advanced firewall configurations and troubleshooting techniques

May require additional resources for hands-on practice and deeper understanding of firewall implementation

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Firewalls with these activities:

Review Access Control Lists

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Familiarize yourself with Access Control Lists, a foundational concept in firewalls, to enhance your understanding of firewall operations.

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Read the course materials on Access Control Lists.
Review the online documentation on Access Control Lists.

Firewall Resource Compilation

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Expand your knowledge base and enhance your understanding by gathering and organizing relevant firewall resources, creating a valuable reference for your ongoing learning journey.

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Search for online resources related to firewalls, including articles, tutorials, and documentation.
Organize the resources into a structured and easy-to-navigate format.
Share your resource compilation with other students or professionals interested in firewalls.

Mentor a Junior Network Engineer

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Solidify your understanding by guiding a junior network engineer, sharing your knowledge and gaining a deeper appreciation for the subject matter.

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Find a junior network engineer who is interested in learning about firewalls.
Meet with the junior engineer regularly to provide guidance and support.
Share your knowledge and experience in firewall configuration and management.

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Exercise: Configure Network Address Translation

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Apply your knowledge of Network Address Translation by completing a hands-on tutorial to solidify your understanding of its practical implementation.

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Find a tutorial on configuring Network Address Translation.
Follow the tutorial steps to configure Network Address Translation.
Test your Network Address Translation configuration.

Firewall Configuration Exercises

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Reinforce your understanding of firewall configuration through repetitive exercises, improving your ability to implement and manage firewalls effectively.

Browse courses on Firewall Configuration

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Find online exercises or challenges on firewall configuration.
Practice configuring firewalls based on different scenarios.
Review your configurations and identify areas for improvement.

Contribute to an Open-Source Firewall Project

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Gain practical experience and contribute to the broader firewall community by participating in an open-source firewall project, enhancing your understanding and technical skills.

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Find an open-source firewall project that interests you.
Review the project's documentation and codebase.
Identify an area where you can contribute.
Submit your code changes or documentation updates to the project.

Firewall Configuration Guide

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Creating a comprehensive guide on how to configure a firewall will reinforce your understanding of firewall settings and options. You will also learn how to document your work, which is an essential skill for IT professionals.

Browse courses on Firewall Configuration

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Research best practices for firewall configuration
Document the steps involved in configuring a firewall
Create a step-by-step guide that includes screenshots and examples
Proofread and edit your guide for clarity and accuracy

Blog Post: Firewall Best Practices

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Enhance your knowledge and share your insights by creating a blog post on firewall best practices, deepening your understanding and contributing to the wider community.

Browse courses on network security

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Research and gather information on firewall best practices.
Organize your thoughts and create an outline for your blog post.
Write and edit your blog post.
Publish your blog post on a relevant platform.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Firewalls will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Security Analyst

Firewalls play a critical role in network security. They help to prevent unauthorized access to the network and protect it from attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a security analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Cybersecurity Engineer

Firewalls are essential tools for cybersecurity engineers. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a cybersecurity engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer

Security Architect

Firewalls are one of the most important security tools for security architects. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a security architect.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Architect

Network Administrator

Firewalls are essential tools for network administrators. They control access to the network and help protect it from security threats. This course will provide you with a strong foundation in firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a network administrator.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator

Network Security Engineer

Firewalls are an essential part of network security. They help to control access to the network and protect it from attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a network security engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Security Engineer

IT Security Engineer

Firewalls are one of the most important tools for IT security engineers. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as an IT security engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Security Engineer

Information Security Analyst

Firewalls play a critical role in information security. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as an information security analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Security Consultant

Firewalls are an essential part of security consulting. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a security consultant.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Consultant

Network Engineer

Firewalls are essential components of any network. They help to control traffic flow and protect the network from security threats. This course will provide you with a strong foundation in firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Firewalls are an essential part of an organization's information security program. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a CISO.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Penetration Tester

Firewalls are one of the most important tools for penetration testers. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a penetration tester.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Cloud Security Engineer

Firewalls are also essential for cloud security. They help to protect cloud-based networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a cloud security engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Security Engineer

Auditor

Firewalls are an essential part of an organization's security controls. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as an auditor.

See salaries and explore the career path for Auditor

Risk Manager

Firewalls play a critical role in risk management. They help to protect networks from unauthorized access and attacks. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a risk manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Risk Manager

Forensic Analyst

Firewalls can be a valuable source of information for forensic analysts. They can help to identify the source of attacks and track down attackers. This course will provide you with a deep understanding of firewall technology. You will learn how firewalls work, how to configure them, and how to troubleshoot problems. This knowledge will be essential for your success as a forensic analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Forensic Analyst

Introduction to Firewalls

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