A firewall is an information technology (IT) security device which is configured to permit, deny or proxy data connections set and configured by the organization’s security policy. Firewalls can either be hardware and/or software based.
A firewall’s basic task is to control traffic between computer networks with different zones of trust. Typical examples are the Internet which is a zone with no trust and an internal network which is (and should be) a zone with high trust. The ultimate goal is to provide controlled interfaces between zones of differing trust levels through the enforcement of a security policy and connectivity model based on the least privilege principle and separation of duties.
A firewall is also called a Border Protection Device (BPD) in certain military contexts where a firewall separates networks by creating perimeter networks in a Demilitarized zone (DMZ). In a BSD context they are also known as a packet filter. A firewall’s function is analogous to firewalls in building construction.
Proper configuration of firewalls demands skill from the firewall administrator. It requires considerable understanding of network protocols and of computer security. Small mistakes can render a firewall worthless as a security tool.