FWunify: A Tool to Simplify Multiple Firewall Configuration

• Maurício Fiorenza UNIPAMPA
• Diego Kreutz UNIPAMPA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0830-0238
• Rodrigo B. Mansilha UNIPAMPA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2083-653X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbseg_estendido.2021.17337

Abstract

Setting up multiple firewalls is a challenging process. Existing solutions are specialized and require prior mastery or learning a variety of syntaxes and configuration methods to correctly implement the desired security policies. To reduce the learning curve and mitigate operational errors, we propose the FWunify tool - a solution for integrated and automatic firewall configuration. Through an architecture composed of multiple layers and loosely coupled modules, FWunify allows new firewall solutions to be incorporated into the tool with minimal impact on adjacent layers. A working prototype of FWunify was implemented and used to demonstrate the technical feasibility and applicability of the proposal.

Keywords: security policies, firewall management, hybrid networks, software architecture

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