IT & Cyber Audit
Firewall Rule Review
Periodic review of firewall rule sets for overly permissive, stale or undocumented rules across network zones.
Why periodic firewall review prevents silent exposure
Firewall rule sets accumulate over years, and overly permissive, stale or undocumented rules quietly widen the attack surface against financial systems holding personal information protected under POPIA. Periodic review is an expected IT general control and a focus area in AGSA's cyber assessments. AuditPro Core supports structured review of firewall rules across network zones so risky rules are identified and justified or removed.
The Numbers
AuditPro Core renders this view from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records. The figures below are illustrative sample data.
Total rules
1,284
Overly permissive
47
any/any source
Stale rules
112
no hits 180+ days
Documented
89%
▲ 7 pts
Rule findings by network zone
High-risk rules
| Rule ID | Zone | Issue | Last hit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FW-0312 | Perimeter | Any/any inbound | Active |
| FW-0188 | Internal | No business owner | 240 days |
| FW-0451 | DMZ | Permits RDP from WAN | Active |
| FW-0097 | Server farm | Stale, no hits | 310 days |
Figures shown are illustrative sample data for demonstration. AuditPro Core renders these views from your own tenant's live, tamper-evident records.
Rules decay over time
Rules added for temporary needs or decommissioned systems often remain in place long after their purpose ends. These stale rules grant access nobody is monitoring.
Permissiveness is the core risk
Broad any-to-any or wide port-range rules defeat segmentation and should be the first target of review. Tightening them to least-access materially reduces exposure.
Undocumented rules cannot be governed
A rule without a recorded business justification and owner cannot be evaluated for continued need. Documentation is a precondition for meaningful review.
How AuditPro Core Bridges the Gap
- Rule inventory: AuditPro Core organises firewall rules by zone with their scope and documentation status.
- Risk flagging: overly permissive, stale and undocumented rules are highlighted for decision.
- Review workflow: each flagged rule is justified, tightened or removed with the decision recorded.
- Audit-ready trail: the completed review evidences periodic firewall governance to the AGSA.
Key Takeaways
- Stale rules linger long after their purpose ends.
- Broad permissive rules are the highest-priority target.
- Undocumented rules cannot be properly governed.
- A recorded review cycle satisfies the IT control expectation.
See This on Your Own Data
AuditPro Core renders this dashboard from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records — every figure traceable to source.