Packet-filtering firewalls
Packet-filtering firewalls are the most basic of firewalls. They are able to block or allow network traffic based on source or destination IP address, ports, or protocols within the header of the traffic. Because only the header is inspected and no analysis of the actual payload of the network traffic is carried out, this is quite a fast process. The downside to this is that it is not very secure, as traffic may be allowed because it meets the criteria specified; however, what if there is a malicious payload? Quite simply, it is allowed in. Packet-filtering firewalls operate at layers 3 and 4 of the OSI model.
What I have described previously is what is known as stateless packet-filtering, and, in essence, is an ...
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