Firewalls & network security
The firewall is where policy meets traffic. Our team designs, hardens and operates perimeter and internal firewalls: rule-set clean-up, segmentation, VPN termination, intrusion prevention, web filtering and logging that someone actually reads.
We start from what the firewall actually allows today. Our engineers read the rule set, remove what no longer has an owner, segment the network by function and set up VPN termination and intrusion prevention with logs that someone reads. Changes are staged and documented so a rollback is always possible.
The same team runs penetration tests, so firewall work is checked from the attacker's side. We test the perimeter and the internal segments after changes and report what a person on the guest Wi-Fi or a compromised laptop could reach. "Zero Trust for Mid-Size Firms" explains where this work fits in a staged zero trust program.
What we do
- Firewall migrations with zero-downtime cutover plans
- Rule-set audits that remove stale and overly broad rules
- Network segmentation between users, servers, guests and devices
- Site-to-site and remote-access VPN termination
- Intrusion prevention and web filtering tuned to the environment
- High-availability firewall pairs
- Log forwarding to a central place with alerting
- Web application firewall placement in front of public sites
We work across the major commercial platforms and the open-source firewalls pfSense and OPNsense. When a platform no longer fits the business, we move the client to another one with a plan that keeps the network up during the change.
Firewall work is a core part of our Cybersecurity and Managed IT services. Rules are reviewed against what the business really needs, logs feed the monitoring we run, and every change is recorded so an auditor or an incident responder can follow it.
Leading platforms we work with
- Fortinet
- Palo Alto Networks
- Check Point
- Cisco Secure Firewall
- Sophos
- SonicWall
- Juniper Networks
- Forcepoint
- WatchGuard
- Netgate pfSense
- OPNsense
Platforms and practices
- Network segmentation
- IDS/IPS (Suricata, Snort)
- Web application firewalls
References
- Fortinet: Leader, Gartner Magic Quadrant for Hybrid Mesh Firewall (vendor page)
- Palo Alto Networks: Leader, 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Hybrid Mesh Firewall (vendor blog, Aug 27, 2025)
- Check Point: Leader, 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Hybrid Mesh Firewalls (vendor blog, Aug 27, 2025)
Sources last checked .
Product names are trademarks of their owners and are listed to describe our experience; they do not imply endorsement or partnership.
How we use Firewalls & network security for clients
Cybersecurity
We find out whether everything you run is safe from attackers, then we fix it.
Learn moreManaged IT Services
We run your IT day to day so it stays secure: help desk, devices, Microsoft 365, Exchange, Active Directory, backups, networks and monitoring.
Learn moreClayton Secure
One view of your entire cybersecurity program, in near real time.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions we hear most. Something else on your mind?
Send us a messageCan you take over our existing Fortinet firewalls?
Yes. Our team has experience operating Fortinet, and we also work with Palo Alto Networks and Check Point. We start with a configuration and rule review, then take over changes, firmware updates and monitoring. We list these vendors as platforms we have worked with, not as partners.
Do you replace firewalls with a different brand if needed?
Only when there is a reason, such as end-of-life hardware or a missing feature. Otherwise we work with what you have.
How do firewalls help against DDoS attacks?
Firewalls help against small and application-level floods through rate limits, SYN protection and connection limits. A large volumetric attack can fill your internet circuit before it reaches the firewall, so that needs upstream scrubbing or BGP-based mitigation.
How do you separate networks with firewalls?
We place each business unit, region or sensitive system in its own zone or VRF and allow only the flows that are named and justified. Rules are logged and reviewed, and the same zones back up PCI, HIPAA and zero-trust scoping.
How often should firewall rules be reviewed?
At least twice a year and after any major change, such as a new application or an acquisition. A review looks for rules that never match, rules that are too broad, temporary rules that became permanent, and ones with no owner. Hit counters and logs show which rules are actually used.
Do we need an IPS in addition to a firewall?
An intrusion prevention system inspects traffic content for known attack patterns, which a port-and-address firewall does not. It helps most on traffic you cannot avoid exposing, but it needs tuning, or it blocks legitimate traffic or produces alerts nobody reads. Many next-generation firewalls include IPS, and Suricata or Snort are open-source options.