Firewall is a very important element for a computer system. In today’s world where computer systems are facing an increasing threat from intrusions of hackers, firewall provides the system with the necessary security. Because of so much is hinging on the firewall providing us the security, it is imperative that the firewall is correctly performing its duties and is safeguarding your system correctly.
In order to find this out, a process known as firewall testing is undertaken by various security firms. There are several different methods of firewall testing being implemented by security firms. The first firewall testing methodology is known as leak testing. Under leak firewall testing, data is sent to the server, and then packet and information sniffers are used to sniff the data in the form of a leak. Leak tests form an important element of firewall testing methodology. Many of the big corporations mostly employ leak testing in order to check their firewall.
Another form of firewall testing known as spying test is also popular. This firewall testing is also similar to the leak test, mostly key loggers and data snatchers are used to search for a config file in the data. This config file is then manipulated to gain entry into the system.
Auto run tests are also used for firewall testing. This is done to test the system during the restarting process. The firewall is venerable at a point when the system is about to restart. A firewall has to provide security during this important point of the systems restart. A firewall integrity test is also used to test the reliability of the firewall. A system integrity test is used as it can gain access to the system’s core.
The self defense test is also another method of firewall testing. During this method the firewall is checked by attacking it with various methods like malware, viruses and hacking methods. Apart from this, firewall testing is also used to test the reliability, stability and other tests for the systems.
Most of the testing results in various form of number rankings. These rankings are based on the scale of 1 to 10. Basically firewall testing is mostly used to define products of the future. These methods ultimately define the development of new future firewalls.
