Host Firewall
Also known as:
- Host-Based Firewall
What problem does it target?
Host-based firewalls address the risk of unauthorized access, malware, and lateral movement by controlling network traffic to and from individual endpoints.
What does this solution do?
Host-based firewall platforms:
- Filter inbound and outbound traffic on endpoints
- Enforce security policies at the device level
- Provide logging, alerting, and reporting for endpoint activity
- Integrate with endpoint protection and management tools
Who is this for?
- Organizations with distributed or remote endpoints
- Security and IT operations teams
- Enterprises seeking granular control over endpoint traffic
Who might not benefit from this?
- Environments with only network-level firewalls
- Small businesses with minimal endpoint risk
Pitfalls and remedies
| Pitfall | Remedy |
|---|---|
| Misconfigured rules blocking legitimate traffic | Regularly review and update policies |
| User tampering or disabling | Use management tools to enforce settings |
| Overlapping policies with network firewalls | Coordinate rules and monitor for conflicts |
Sample products
- Windows Defender Firewall
- macOS Application Firewall
- Symantec Endpoint Protection Firewall
- CrowdStrike Falcon Firewall Management
- Sophos Intercept X Firewall