NGFW 6.9 Online Help

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NGFW Engine configuration
You can create and modify Firewalls, IPS engines, Layer 2 Firewalls, Master NGFW Engines and Virtual NGFW Engines. You can configure the NGFW Engine properties, activate optional features, and configure advanced NGFW Engine settings.
Advanced NGFW Engine settings
Advanced settings cover various system parameters related to different features.

About this Help
This online help was created for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall (Forcepoint NGFW), version 6.9.0.
Introduction to the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall solution
Before setting up Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall (Forcepoint NGFW), it is useful to know what the different components do and what engine roles are available.
Deployment
Before you can set up the system and start configuring elements, you must consider how the different SMC components should be positioned and deployed.
Setting up
After deploying the SMC components, you are ready to start using the Management Client and carrying out some of the first configuration tasks.
Monitoring
You can use the SMC to monitor system components and third-party devices. You can also view and filter logs, and create Reports from them.
Controlling NGFW Engines
You can command and set options for engines through the Management Client or on the engine command line. You can also stop traffic manually.
SMC configuration
Security Management Center (SMC) configuration allows you to customize how the SMC components work.
NGFW Engine configuration
You can create and modify Firewalls, IPS engines, Layer 2 Firewalls, Master NGFW Engines and Virtual NGFW Engines. You can configure the NGFW Engine properties, activate optional features, and configure advanced NGFW Engine settings.
- Creating and modifying NGFW Engines
  NGFW Engine elements contain the configuration information that is directly related to the Firewalls, IPS engines, and Layer 2 Firewalls. The configuration information includes interface definitions, cluster mode selection, tester settings, and other options specific to the NGFW Engine.
- Creating and modifying Master NGFW Engine and Virtual NGFW Engine elements
  Virtual NGFW Engines are logically separate NGFW Enginess that run as virtual instances on a physical NGFW appliance. A Master NGFW Engine is a physical appliance that provides resources for Virtual NGFW Engines.
- Network interface configuration
  The network interface configuration for NGFW Engines is stored on the Management Server in the properties of Single Firewall, Firewall Cluster, Single IPS, IPS Cluster, Single Layer 2 Firewall, Layer 2 Firewall Cluster, Master NGFW Engine, and Virtual NGFW Engine elements.
- Connecting NGFW Engines to the SMC
  To maintain the security of your system, the NGFW Engines establish an authenticated and encrypted connection with Log Servers and Management Servers.
- Element-based network address translation (NAT)
  Element-based NAT allows you to define NAT addresses in the properties of an element. The NAT definitions define how firewalls translate network IP addresses.
- Configuring the NGFW Engine tester
  The NGFW Engine tester runs various checks on the NGFW Engine and initiates responses based on the success or failure of these tests.
- Engine permissions
  You can set permissions to control the administration of the engines.
- DNS Relay
  DNS relay allows the firewall to provide DNS services for clients in internal networks.
- Setting up SNMP for NGFW Engines
  SNMP is a standard protocol that different equipment can use to send network management-related information to each other. You can configure NGFW Engines to send SNMP traps to external equipment.
- Setting up LLDP for NGFW Engines
  Network devices can use the Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) to advertise their identity, capabilities, and neighbors on a local area network.
- Alias element translations for NGFW Engines
  Alias elements can be used to represent other network elements in configurations. The value an Alias takes in a configuration can be different on each NGFW Engine where the Alias is used.
- Add-on features for NGFW Engines
  There are several add-on features that you can use on Firewalls, IPS engines, Layer 2 Firewalls, Virtual Firewalls, Virtual IPS engines, and Virtual Layer 2 Firewalls.
- Advanced NGFW Engine settings
  Advanced settings cover various system parameters related to different features.
  - Getting started with advanced NGFW Engine settings
    Advanced settings system parameters generally have default values that are appropriate for most installations without any need for adjustments. Some values can be overridden in policies rule-by-rule when exceptions are needed.
  - Open the advanced settings
    To adjust advanced settings for an NGFW Engine, you must open the Engine Editor.
  - Adjusting Firewall clustering options
    You can check and adjust some of the settings related to how the Firewall Cluster behaves and exchanges information from node to node.
  - Adjust IPS clustering options
    IPS Clusters operate by default in load-balancing mode. This means that all configured nodes in an IPS Cluster are online simultaneously and the traffic is distributed among the operational nodes. The load balancing aims to keep the traffic load as evenly distributed as possible.
  - Adjust Layer 2 Firewall clustering options
    By default, Layer 2 Firewall Clusters operate in active-standby mode.
  - Adjust Master NGFW Engine clustering options
    You can check and adjust some of the settings related to how the Master NGFW Engine behaves and exchanges information from node to node.
  - Configure inspection of tunneled traffic
    You can define in the Advanced Settings how the IPS engine or Layer 2 Firewall inspects tunneled traffic.
  - Set connection timeouts
    You can define general timeouts for removing idle connections from the state table, including non-TCP communications that are handled like connections.
  - Configure SYN rate limits
    You can configure SYN rate limits to reduce the risk of SYN flood attacks against the Firewall, IPS engine, Layer 2 Firewall, Master NGFW Engine, or Virtual NGFW Engine.
  - Configure log handling settings
    Log Handling settings allow you to adjust logging when the log spool on the Firewall, IPS, Layer 2 Firewall, or Master NGFW Engine fills up.
  - Configure DoS protection settings
    You can configure three forms of protection that can help prevent Denial of Service (DoS) attacks: SYN flood protection and slow HTTP request protection against rate-based DoS attacks, and TCP reset protection against TCP reset attacks.
  - Configure scan detection settings
    Before an attack, attackers might scan the network for open ports. When you enable scan detection on an engine, the number of connections or connection attempts within a time window is counted. If the number of events reaches the threshold set in the scan detection options, an alert is generated.
  - Using custom properties profiles to upload custom scripts
    If you use custom scripts that you manually upload to the NGFW Engine, you can instead add the scripts to Custom Properties Profile elements.
Routing
Use the Management Client to configure static or dynamic routing, and use a Multi-Link configuration to manage and distribute inbound and outbound connections.
Traffic inspection policies
Policies are key elements that contain rules for allowing or blocking network traffic and inspecting the content of traffic.
Users and authentication
User accounts are stored in internal databases or external directory servers. You can use Forcepoint NGFW in the Firewall/VPN role or external authentication servers to authenticate users.
Virtual private networks
Forcepoint NGFW supports both policy-based and route-based VPN (virtual private network) tunnels between VPN gateways. For full remote access, Forcepoint NGFW supports both IPsec and SSL VPN tunnels for VPN clients.
Maintenance and upgrades
Maintenance includes procedures that you do not typically need to do frequently.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting helps you resolve common problems in the Forcepoint NGFW and SMC.
Appendices

Advanced NGFW Engine settings

Advanced settings cover various system parameters related to different features.

Getting started with advanced NGFW Engine settings
Advanced settings system parameters generally have default values that are appropriate for most installations without any need for adjustments. Some values can be overridden in policies rule-by-rule when exceptions are needed.
Open the advanced settings
To adjust advanced settings for an NGFW Engine, you must open the Engine Editor.
Adjusting Firewall clustering options
You can check and adjust some of the settings related to how the Firewall Cluster behaves and exchanges information from node to node.
Adjust IPS clustering options
IPS Clusters operate by default in load-balancing mode. This means that all configured nodes in an IPS Cluster are online simultaneously and the traffic is distributed among the operational nodes. The load balancing aims to keep the traffic load as evenly distributed as possible.
Adjust Layer 2 Firewall clustering options
By default, Layer 2 Firewall Clusters operate in active-standby mode.
Adjust Master NGFW Engine clustering options
You can check and adjust some of the settings related to how the Master NGFW Engine behaves and exchanges information from node to node.
Configure inspection of tunneled traffic
You can define in the Advanced Settings how the IPS engine or Layer 2 Firewall inspects tunneled traffic.
Set connection timeouts
You can define general timeouts for removing idle connections from the state table, including non-TCP communications that are handled like connections.
Configure SYN rate limits
You can configure SYN rate limits to reduce the risk of SYN flood attacks against the Firewall, IPS engine, Layer 2 Firewall, Master NGFW Engine, or Virtual NGFW Engine.
Configure log handling settings
Log Handling settings allow you to adjust logging when the log spool on the Firewall, IPS, Layer 2 Firewall, or Master NGFW Engine fills up.
Configure DoS protection settings
You can configure three forms of protection that can help prevent Denial of Service (DoS) attacks: SYN flood protection and slow HTTP request protection against rate-based DoS attacks, and TCP reset protection against TCP reset attacks.
Configure scan detection settings
Before an attack, attackers might scan the network for open ports. When you enable scan detection on an engine, the number of connections or connection attempts within a time window is counted. If the number of events reaches the threshold set in the scan detection options, an alert is generated.
Using custom properties profiles to upload custom scripts
If you use custom scripts that you manually upload to the NGFW Engine, you can instead add the scripts to Custom Properties Profile elements.

© 2020 Forcepoint
Published 8 December 2020