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Firewall Configuration Review
What is a Firewall Configuration Review?
A Firewall Configuration Review is a comprehensive assessment of how your firewall is set up, not just whether it’s in place, but how effectively it’s protecting your environment.
Unlike automated scans or penetration tests, which focus on detecting vulnerabilities, this review evaluates the structure, logic, and security of the firewall’s configuration itself. It reveals gaps that may otherwise go unnoticed, such as:
- Overly permissive or redundant rules
- Inadequate logging and alerting
- Missed hardening opportunities
- Configuration drift from best practice benchmarks
It’s a methodical, expert-led inspection designed to ensure your firewall is operating as a reliable and efficient control point, aligned to your business objectives and security requirements.
What is included in a Firewall Configuration Review?
Security Configuration Review.
We begin with a comprehensive audit of your firewall’s configuration. This includes reviewing authentication methods, logging settings, network objects, and access control lists (ACLs).
Our consultants assess alignment with CIS Benchmarks and vendor best practices to identify gaps, misconfigurations, and hardening opportunities.
Firewall Rule-set Review.
Every rule is evaluated for structure, security, and effectiveness.
We identify overly permissive or redundant rules, poor sequencing, and missed use of security profiles.
We also assess the clarity and consistency of rule naming and documentation to support better long-term management.
Clear, Actionable Reporting.
You’ll receive tailored documentation to support both strategic and technical audiences:
A Prioritised Action Plan that ranks issues by severity, helping you focus resources where they’ll make the biggest difference.
An Executive Summary outlining key findings, risk levels, and strategic recommendations.
A Technical Findings Report detailing each issue, its impact, and how to resolve it, complete with references and screenshots.
Supported Firewall Vendors.
We work across the industry’s leading platforms, including:
Why conduct a Firewall Configuration Review?
Reduce Risk.
Misconfigured firewalls are one of the most common root causes of security breaches.
Our review helps uncover hidden vulnerabilities, such as overly permissive rules or overlooked logging settings, that automated tools typically miss. By identifying and addressing these gaps, you strengthen your perimeter before attackers exploit it.
Support Compliance.
Regulatory standards like ISO 27001, NIS2, and PCI-DSS increasingly demand proof of secure configurations.
Our assessments ensure your firewall aligns with recognised best practices, including CIS Benchmarks and vendor guidance, supporting both internal policy and external audit readiness.
Improve Operational Efficiency.
Firewalls can become bloated and difficult to manage over time. We highlight redundant, shadowed, or poorly structured rules that slow performance and complicate administration.
The outcome: a streamlined configuration that’s easier to maintain, troubleshoot, and scale.
Enhance Visibility and Control.
A well-configured firewall should give you confidence, not questions.
Our review delivers a clear picture of how your firewall is functioning today, where improvements are needed, and how to move forward with assurance.
Your firewall is only as strong as its configuration.
Our Firewall Configuration Review gives you clarity and control, by manually analysing the settings, rule-sets, and controls that automated tools miss.
Whether you’re preparing for audit, streamlining operations, or strengthening your perimeter, this review provides the insight and action plan you need.
Frequently Asked Questions.
What is a configuration review?
A configuration review is a comprehensive evaluation of how a security device, such as a firewall, is currently deployed and managed. Rather than scanning for external vulnerabilities, it assesses the internal settings and operational controls to ensure they:
- Reflect current best practices
- Are aligned with your organisation’s risk posture
- Provide the intended protection without introducing complexity or blind spots
The purpose is to surface hidden misconfigurations, gaps in policy enforcement, or outdated rules that could weaken your security, even if the device appears operational.
What are firewall configurations?
Firewall configurations refer to the specific rules and settings that govern how the device monitors, allows, or blocks network traffic. These include:
- Access rules (inbound and outbound)
- User authentication settings
- Interface configurations
- Logging and alerting parameters
- Security profiles such as IPS, antivirus, or web filtering
An effective firewall configuration enforces the principle of least privilege, only allowing traffic that’s necessary for business operations, while blocking anything unauthorised or anomalous.
How often should Firewalls be reviewed?
At a minimum, review firewall configurations at least annually to keep them aligned with your business, threat landscape, and compliance obligations.
However, more frequent reviews are strongly recommended in the following scenarios:
- After significant infrastructure or architecture changes (e.g. new sites, cloud migrations)
- During or ahead of compliance audits for frameworks like ISO 27001, NIS2, or PCI-DSS
- Following a security incident, breach attempt, or policy violation
- When rules are regularly updated, added, or changed, especially in dynamic environments
Regular reviews not only enhance security, but also improve manageability and help prevent configuration sprawl over time
Get in touch.
Whether you’re ready to schedule a review or just want to explore what’s possible, we’re here to help.
Our team is on hand to answer questions, talk through your current setup, and guide you on the next step
