CIS Firewall Hardening: Best Practices and Guidelines.

Industry-recognized guidelines such as CIS firewall hardening are essential for best-in-class cybersecurity and secure configuration. This is especially important given that the latest versions of popular operating systems like Windows have numerous vulnerabilities.

Such guidelines as CIS benchmarks and controls can significantly improve the functionality and resilience of your firewall. Learn more about how Tufin helps.

The Importance of CIS Firewall Hardening

Also known as CIS firewall hardening, firewall and network device hardening is performed using CIS benchmarks and best practice guidelines. The objective of firewall and network device hardening is to implement security controls for firewalls and network devices in a way that minimizes flaws and reduces the attack surface, to prevent unauthorized access (and permissions) into target computers and networks.

By deploying CIS controls, you can achieve a secure configuration of its IT systems, which can help reduce the attack surface.

CIS firewall hardening brings many benefits to the table. Overall security posture is improved as security policies (like not allowing someone to port scan you) and access controls (such as preventing someone without a valid reason) are enforced. Doing these things reduces threats, cyberattacks and malware infecting systems. Further, following CIS guidelines helps to achieve PCI DSS, HIPAA compliance, and other NIST regulations. 

Finally, these are official security baselines that help to configure operating systems, like Windows or Linux, properly and prevent accidental (or deliberate) misconfigurations. Looking for more on security baselines? Check out the STIG vs CIS landscape security baselines comparison.

CIS Firewall Hardening in Practice

Firewalls that are CIS hardened as well as hardening the organization’s implementation plan for adhering to the CIS benchmark creates a strong cybersecurity framework. It also makes sure that the network devices and operating systems are as secured as possible.

The CIS benchmark includes detailed guidelines for security settings for all possible scenarios, resulting in a more robust security posture for the IT systems. Review the recommended ISO 27001 firewall security audit checklist to further protect the security of your IT systems.

For instance, we helped a large global financial services organization to implement CIS firewall hardening through our continuous compliance solution. The financial services organization was able to automate and enforce the CIS controls to reduce the attack surface and lower their risk of a data breach, while simultaneously achieving compliance with other industry standards for security.

Only way to keep a configuration secure is by regularly updating firewall rules and getting it into compliance such as the Cisco Meraki firewall best practices example, so that security vulnerabilities can be minimized.

Tufin Capabilities in CIS Firewall Hardening

In comparison, Tufin brings new levels of automation that enable CIS benchmarks to be used to harden firewalls. Using Tufin, security controls and configurations can be centrally enforced to lock down network devices and operating systems on an ongoing basis so that they remain protected against potential vulnerabilities and the risk of threats that lead to security breaches. Tufin’s ability to give visibility and control over such complex network environments is what makes it a leader in the space.

The Tufin Orchestration Suite helps IT executives manage their network security policies across a myriad of platforms – be it on-premises, or in the cloud, with Microsoft Azure, Amazon or any other firewall vendor. This kind of view drastically cuts down the risk of misconfigurations and ensures that all the proper security controls are in place.

Similarly, Tufin’s solutions help customers comply with international security standards. Tufin’s solutions are especially useful for organizations that are subject to strict regulatory requirements such as PCI DSS and HIPAA.

Anybody looking to understand the significance of CIS benchmarks for security and compliance can refer to resources such as This is why CIS benchmarks are critical for security and compliance. Once the modeling is completed by Tufin’s tool, users can then set a secure configuration that reduces the attack surface and improves the overall security of the network.

By following security best practices and using advanced solutions, you can secure your network devices and operating systems, minimize misconfigurations, and ensure compliance with security standards.

Tufin’s approach to network security, including automation and visibility across platforms like Microsoft Azure and Amazon, helps mitigate vulnerabilities and unauthorized access. To enhance your security measures and see how Tufin can benefit you, get a demo.

FAQs

Q: What is CIS firewall hardening?

A: Stateful and non-stateful CIS firewall hardening relies on firewall and network device vulnerabilities due to misconfigurations and scripting to harden firewalls and network devices according to CIS benchmark recommendations to ensure secure network access and prevent unauthorized access and systems.

For more insights on security baselines, see the STIG vs CIS landscape security baselines comparison.

Q: Why is CIS firewall hardening important?

A: Hardening is the process of configuring the CIS firewall rules to mitigate various attacks such as DoS, malware, CGI attacks etc. It also reduces the attack surface and securely configures the firewall. Additionally, the process assists security teams in adhering to security policies, workbench metrics, and industry-wide and standards like PCI DSS and HIPAA.

Improve your organization’s network security with the ISO 27001 firewall security audit checklist.

Q: How can I implement CIS firewall hardening best practices?

A: CIS firewall hardening best practices can involve aligning with CIS benchmarks, keeping firewall settings up to date, and automating security controls to avoid misconfigurations. Monitoring key metrics, such as firewall rule performance and endpoint security, plays a critical role in maintaining a robust defense.

Additionally, disabling unnecessary services and ports can further enhance security. Solutions that provide visibility and control into complex network environments will also help secure the network by reducing potential vulnerabilities.

Explore practical tips in the Firewall Change Management Best Practices blog.