What are firewall rules?

Firewall rules are essentially policies that govern the behavior of a firewall in relation to network traffic. These rules specify which types of traffic are permitted to pass through the firewall and which are to be blocked. By defining these parameters, firewall rules help to protect the network from unauthorized access, threats, and malicious activities.

Each rule can be tailored to target specific IP addresses, ports, protocols, and other parameters that determine the flow of data. For instance, a rule might allow incoming traffic on a specific port while blocking all other incoming requests, thereby creating a controlled and secure environment for the network.

Other options relate to different aspects of network security and management. For instance, user access settings are concerned with permissions for applications, while data encryption protocols focus on protecting data in transit. Guidelines for secure software development deal with the principles of creating secure applications. None of these directly address the function and purpose of firewall rules, which is to define traffic control measures at the network perimeter.