Day 16: Azure Networks with Azure Firewall
Tags: 100daysofcloud, azure, adcstreak, cloud
Published: 2024-02-03 05:52:38

Yesterday's leg of the #100DaysOfCloud journey delved into the realm of network security as we uncovered the transformative power of Azure Firewall in safeguarding Azure environments against cyber threats. 

### Azure Firewall: 
Azure Firewall is a cloud-native firewall service that provides network security and protection for Azure Virtual Networks (VNets). By inspecting and filtering network traffic based on customizable rules and policies, Azure Firewall serves as a critical component in securing Azure deployments.

### Defending Against Cyber Threats: 
With Azure Firewall, organizations can defend against a wide range of cyber threats, including malicious attacks, unauthorized access attempts, and data exfiltration. By enforcing application and network-level policies, Azure Firewall helps organizations mitigate the risk of security breaches and ensure the integrity of their Azure environments.

### Enhancing Network Security Posture: 
Azure Firewall enhances the network security posture of Azure environments by providing a comprehensive set of security features and capabilities. From application layer filtering to threat intelligence integration, Azure Firewall enables organizations to proactively identify and respond to security threats, strengthening their defense mechanisms in the cloud.

### Enforcing Access Controls: 
One of the key benefits of Azure Firewall is its ability to enforce access controls and segmentation within Azure networks. By defining network rules and policies based on source/destination IP addresses, ports, and protocols, Azure Firewall enables organizations to control traffic flow and restrict access to sensitive resources, reducing the attack surface and minimizing security risks.

### Empowering Secure Connectivity: 
Azure Firewall empowers secure connectivity for Azure deployments by providing seamless integration with Azure Virtual Networks and Azure services. Whether it's protecting inbound/outbound traffic, enabling secure access to hybrid environments, or facilitating secure internet access for virtual machines, Azure Firewall ensures consistent and reliable network security across Azure environments.

### Scenario:
Organization A is migrating its on-premises applications to Azure and wants to ensure comprehensive network security for its cloud deployments. Here's how they can leverage Azure Firewall and Network Security Group (NSG) in different scenarios:

#### Perimeter Defense:

- Azure Firewall: Deploy Azure Firewall at the perimeter of the Azure Virtual Network to protect inbound and outbound traffic, allowing only necessary ports and protocols based on application and URL filtering rules.

- Network Security Group (NSG): Apply NSGs to subnets within the Virtual Network to control traffic flow between different tiers of the application, enforcing additional layer 4 filtering rules based on IP addresses and ports.

#### Application-Level Filtering:

- Azure Firewall: Configure Azure Firewall rules to allow or deny traffic based on specific applications or URLs, providing granular control over web traffic and preventing access to malicious sites or unauthorized applications.

- Network Security Group (NSG): Use NSGs to restrict access to application-specific ports or protocols, ensuring that only authorized traffic is allowed to reach backend servers or services.

#### Threat Protection:

- Azure Firewall: Enable threat intelligence integration in Azure Firewall to block traffic originating from known malicious IP addresses or domains, providing an additional layer of protection against cyber threats.

- Network Security Group (NSG): Implement NSG rules to block traffic from specific IP ranges or countries known for malicious activity, complementing Azure Firewall's threat intelligence capabilities.

#### Hybrid Connectivity:

- Azure Firewall: Facilitate secure connectivity between on-premises and Azure environments by deploying Azure Firewall with VPN or ExpressRoute connections, ensuring encrypted communication and traffic inspection between the two environments.

- Network Security Group (NSG): Use NSGs to control traffic flow between on-premises networks and Azure VNets, enforcing security policies and access controls at the network interface level for inbound and outbound traffic.

Thanks, @azdevindia and @beingwizard for the guidance and resources.

### Resources:
- https://michaeldurkan.com/2021/11/16/100daysofcloud-day16-azurefirewall/

P.S: "This article was created with the help of AI"