Search icon CANCEL
Subscription
0
Cart icon
Your Cart (0 item)
Close icon
You have no products in your basket yet
Arrow left icon
Explore Products
Best Sellers
New Releases
Books
Videos
Audiobooks
Learning Hub
Newsletter Hub
Free Learning
Arrow right icon
timer SALE ENDS IN
0 Days
:
00 Hours
:
00 Minutes
:
00 Seconds
Getting Started with FortiGate
Getting Started with FortiGate

Getting Started with FortiGate: This book will take you from complete novice to expert user in simple, progressive steps. It covers all the concepts you need to administer a FortiGate unit with lots of examples and clear explanations.

eBook
$13.98 $19.99
Paperback
$32.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at $19.99p/m

What do you get with a Packt Subscription?

Free for first 7 days. $19.99 p/m after that. Cancel any time!
Product feature icon Unlimited ad-free access to the largest independent learning library in tech. Access this title and thousands more!
Product feature icon 50+ new titles added per month, including many first-to-market concepts and exclusive early access to books as they are being written.
Product feature icon Innovative learning tools, including AI book assistants, code context explainers, and text-to-speech.
Product feature icon Thousands of reference materials covering every tech concept you need to stay up to date.
Subscribe now
View plans & pricing
Table of content icon View table of contents Preview book icon Preview Book

Getting Started with FortiGate

Chapter 2. Filters, Policies, and Endpoint Security

After considering the FortiGate routing features, it is necessary to discuss its firewall functionalities. All the traffic that is received on a unit is analyzed using the Security Policies. As soon as a data packet is received, the firewall analyzes its source address, its destination address, and the kind of service it is related to. Based on this information, FortiGate tries to locate a matching security policy. If a match is found, the instructions contained in the policy are applied (while a data packet with no matching policy is dropped by default). The basic option available in the security policy is to accept or deny data packets. However, additional operations are available such as logging or UTM inspection.

Processing a data packet inside a FortiGate


The checks performed by a Fortigate unit can be summarized in four different levels of control. If any step inside the different layers containing a blocking rule is met, the data package would be discarded. These levels are as follows:

  • Ingress: Ingress filtering controls the incoming traffic to protect the network from security risks. Controls related to DOS (Denial of service), IPSEC (IP Security) destination, and routing are performed at the Ingress level.

  • Stateful Inspection engine: Stateful inspection enables the FortiGate firewall to maintain context with active sessions. If a packet is a part of an existing session, the packet will traverse the device with no additional control. If a packet does not match an existing connection, it will be evaluated according to the firewall rules. The Stateful Inspection engine includes user authentication, traffic shaping, session tracking, and policy lookup.

  • UTM scanning: FortiGate units are pre-configured...

Firewall features


The primary use of a FortiGate unit is to protect our networks from attacks with its firewall features. The security policies will define the allowed network traffic. Now, let's us take a look at a set of base objects that we will use to create and manage the policies.

Interfaces and zones

We have talked about interfaces in Chapter 1, First Steps. The firewall is able to operate both on physical and on virtual interfaces, including wireless interfaces, VLANS, and Virtual Domain (VDOM) links.

Note

VDOMs are a logical division of a single FortiGate unit into two or more virtual units that are independent from each other. We will talk about them in Chapter 4, High Availability.

There is a firewall interface that will receive the network traffic and an interface from which the aforementioned traffic will flow out of the device. We are able to establish a "direction" in which data is moving. This is the basic type of firewall control, and we can combine multiple interfaces (including...

UTM profiles


Unified Threat Management (UTM) creates additional control layers that examine the contents of the network traffic already permitted by the rules related to addresses, services, and schedules as mentioned previously. The UTM options can be grouped into a profile that we are able to apply to one or more firewall policies. In the following screenshot, we have the UTM menu of a FortiGate unit with the different UTM features shown.

Antivirus

The Antivirus filter examines network traffic for viruses, worms, Trojans, and malware. The antivirus scan engine has a database of virus signatures that it uses to identify security risks. Depending on the FortiGate unit we are able to select between a regular virus database, an extended version containing "viruses that are no longer seen in recent virus studies," and an extreme version that is able to filter viruses that have been dormant for a long period and that rely on older hardware and software. There is also an option to check for Grayware...

Traffic shaping


Inside a security policy we are able to assign a Traffic Shaping configuration. The parameters include minimum as well as maximum levels of bandwidth to be able to guarantee QOS (Quality of Service). Traffic shaping is configured by navigating to the Firewall Objects | Traffic Shaper pane (shown in the following screenshot):

Note

There are three shaping options available, which are as follows:

  • Shared policy shaping: Bandwidth management by security policies

  • Per-IP shaping: Bandwidth management by user IP addresses

  • Application control shaping: Bandwidth management by application

More information is available in the document Traffic Shaping for FortiOS 5.0, available at http://bit.ly/1dlFHmA.

Security policies


Security policies will define which session matches with one or more rules in a set and the actions the FortiGate unit will perform. The list of elements that a FortiGate will check includes:

  • Source Interface/Zone

  • Source Address

  • Destination Interface/Zone

  • Destination Address

  • Schedule and time of the session's initiation

  • Service and the packet's port numbers

  • UTM profiles

Based on the policies, a packet can be accepted or denied. Security policies are managed by navigating to the Policy | Policy | Policy menu. In the following screenshot we can see the screen used to edit a security policy:

After we have defined a firewall policy, it will look like the following screenshot. Inside a single policy firewall, the controls will be applied in the order we have selected. The firewall policies are evaluated in order from top to bottom. The first rule to match a packet will perform the action specified by the matched rule.

Note

More information about security policies and the features of...

FortiClient


FortiClient is an endpoint management software available in the following two versions:

  • Standalone client: This is a free client that offers protection from viruses, malware and adware, and comes with parental control and VPN connection support

  • Managed client: It is a client which requires a license and it adds to the previously mentioned features, a series of tools for central management, an application firewall, and a vulnerability scan feature

Up to ten managed clients are available for free, then the number of clients that we are able to license depends on the type of FortiGate unit we are using. The client software is available for Microsoft Windows (Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP) and for Mac OS X (10.8, 10.7, and 10.6). On the FortiClient page (http://www.forticlient.com/) we also have apps for iOS (for iOS 5.1 or higher) and Android (Android 4.0 or higher). FortiClient can also be downloaded from the Fortinet Customer Service & Support page ...

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)


The policies and configurations we have explained for the FortiClient software can be seen as a part of a larger management scope, dedicated to controls on personal mobile devices connected to our network. The full list of controls includes:

  • Identifying and monitoring the devices

  • Using the MAC address to control access

  • Creating policies based on device type

  • Enforcing endpoint control using the FortiClient software

We have already seen the option (inside the interface configuration) to enable device monitoring. The resulting data is included in the Device definition menu under the Device tab in the User & Device option. In the following screenshot, we have an Android tablet and a Windows laptop connected to our FortiGate unit:

MAC filtering is useful to limit access to our Wi-Fi network. If we enable a DHCP server on our interface, the default value is to assign an IP address to any MAC. We are able to apply a stricter control changing the option for Unknown MAC...

Summary


During this chapter we have introduced the firewall features of FortiGate and the tools dedicated to device management. UTM and the related security and profiles have been presented, and we have seen also a short explanation of the FortiClient software, that adds many administrative mechanisms for endpoint control. In the next chapter we will talk about expanding our network in a secure manner using VPNs and tunnelling.

Left arrow icon Right arrow icon

Key benefits

  • Learn about FortiGate and FortiOS 5 starting from the ground up, with no previous knowledge of Fortinet products
  • Understand and deliver Routing, VLANs, NAT, and high availability solutions using FortiGate units
  • Design and deploy security policies, content filters, and endpoint security using UTM features inside a FortiGate unit

Description

FortiGate from Fortinet is a highly successful family of appliances enabled to manage routing and security on different layers, supporting dynamic protocols, IPSEC and VPN with SSL, application and user control, web contents and mail scanning, endpoint checks, and more, all in a single platform. The heart of the appliance is the FortiOS (FortiOS 5 is the latest release) which is able to unify a friendly web interface with a powerful command line to deliver high performance. FortiGate is able to give users the results they usually achieve at a fraction of the cost of what they would have to invest with other vendors.This practical, hands-on guide addresses all the tasks required to configure and manage a FortiGate unit in a logical order. The book starts with topics related to VLAN and routing (static and advanced) and then discusses in full the UTM features integrated in the appliance. The text explains SSL VPN and IPSEC VPN with all the required steps you need to deploy the aforementioned solutions. High availability and troubleshooting techniques are also explained in the last two chapters of the book.This concise, example-oriented book explores all the concepts you need to administer a FortiGate unit. You will begin by covering the basic tools required to administer a FortiGate unit, including NAT, routing, and VLANs. You will then be guided through the concepts of firewalling, UTM inside the appliance, tunnelling using SSL, and IPSEC and dial-up configurations. Next, you will get acquainted with important topics like high availability and Vdoms. Finally, you will end the book with an overview of troubleshooting tools and techniques.

Who is this book for?

This book is intended for network administrators, security managers, and IT pros. It is a great starting point if you have to administer or configure a FortiGate unit, especially if you have no previous experience. For people that have never managed a FortiGate unit, the book helpfully walks through the basic concepts and common mistakes. If your work requires assessing the security of a corporate network or you need to interact with people managing security on a Fortinet product, then this book will be of great benefit. No prior knowledge of Fortigate is assumed.

What you will learn

  • Configure static and dynamic routing in a FortiGate unit
  • Filter spam, viruses, and illegitimate Internet activities using the UTM features of FortiGate
  • Enforce compliance and block threats using IPS and endpoint controls
  • Design tunnels with SSL and IPSEC to extend your network in a secure manner
  • Use high availability solutions including link aggregation, clustering, and virtual domains
  • Identify the main features and uses of the Forticlient software
  • Troubleshoot issues related to the aforementioned features

Product Details

Country selected
Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Nov 25, 2013
Length: 126 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781782178200
Concepts :
Tools :

What do you get with a Packt Subscription?

Free for first 7 days. $19.99 p/m after that. Cancel any time!
Product feature icon Unlimited ad-free access to the largest independent learning library in tech. Access this title and thousands more!
Product feature icon 50+ new titles added per month, including many first-to-market concepts and exclusive early access to books as they are being written.
Product feature icon Innovative learning tools, including AI book assistants, code context explainers, and text-to-speech.
Product feature icon Thousands of reference materials covering every tech concept you need to stay up to date.
Subscribe now
View plans & pricing

Product Details

Publication date : Nov 25, 2013
Length: 126 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781782178200
Concepts :
Tools :

Packt Subscriptions

See our plans and pricing
Modal Close icon
$19.99 billed monthly
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Simple pricing, no contract
$199.99 billed annually
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just $5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts
$279.99 billed in 18 months
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just $5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts

Frequently bought together


Stars icon
Total $ 142.97
Network Analysis using Wireshark Cookbook
$54.99
Getting Started with FortiGate
$32.99
Web Penetration Testing with Kali Linux
$54.99
Total $ 142.97 Stars icon

Table of Contents

5 Chapters
First Steps Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Filters, Policies, and Endpoint Security Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
VPNs and Tunneling Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
High Availability Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Troubleshooting Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Top Reviews
Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon Empty star icon 3.3
(12 Ratings)
5 star 25%
4 star 16.7%
3 star 25%
2 star 33.3%
1 star 0%
Filter icon Filter
Top Reviews

Filter reviews by




Amazon Customer Mar 24, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Great book
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Raphaela Mar 14, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
For someone who had never used a Fortigate this book is quite good. It gives the basics of the firewall configuration and is a good option for a beginner as I was at the time.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Avetik Yessayan Mar 14, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
A++
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Kevin Anderson Feb 03, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
Great guide to help you get started with configuring your Fortigate firewall. Was easy to understand and follow along with. Learned a few new troubleshooting commands that I wasn't previously aware of.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Jose Flores Jan 09, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
Really good for a good introduction on Fortinet operating system. Additionally explain some complex networking concepts in an easy way.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Get free access to Packt library with over 7500+ books and video courses for 7 days!
Start Free Trial

FAQs

What is included in a Packt subscription? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

A subscription provides you with full access to view all Packt and licnesed content online, this includes exclusive access to Early Access titles. Depending on the tier chosen you can also earn credits and discounts to use for owning content

How can I cancel my subscription? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

To cancel your subscription with us simply go to the account page - found in the top right of the page or at https://subscription.packtpub.com/my-account/subscription - From here you will see the ‘cancel subscription’ button in the grey box with your subscription information in.

What are credits? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Credits can be earned from reading 40 section of any title within the payment cycle - a month starting from the day of subscription payment. You also earn a Credit every month if you subscribe to our annual or 18 month plans. Credits can be used to buy books DRM free, the same way that you would pay for a book. Your credits can be found in the subscription homepage - subscription.packtpub.com - clicking on ‘the my’ library dropdown and selecting ‘credits’.

What happens if an Early Access Course is cancelled? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Projects are rarely cancelled, but sometimes it's unavoidable. If an Early Access course is cancelled or excessively delayed, you can exchange your purchase for another course. For further details, please contact us here.

Where can I send feedback about an Early Access title? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

If you have any feedback about the product you're reading, or Early Access in general, then please fill out a contact form here and we'll make sure the feedback gets to the right team. 

Can I download the code files for Early Access titles? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

We try to ensure that all books in Early Access have code available to use, download, and fork on GitHub. This helps us be more agile in the development of the book, and helps keep the often changing code base of new versions and new technologies as up to date as possible. Unfortunately, however, there will be rare cases when it is not possible for us to have downloadable code samples available until publication.

When we publish the book, the code files will also be available to download from the Packt website.

How accurate is the publication date? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The publication date is as accurate as we can be at any point in the project. Unfortunately, delays can happen. Often those delays are out of our control, such as changes to the technology code base or delays in the tech release. We do our best to give you an accurate estimate of the publication date at any given time, and as more chapters are delivered, the more accurate the delivery date will become.

How will I know when new chapters are ready? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

We'll let you know every time there has been an update to a course that you've bought in Early Access. You'll get an email to let you know there has been a new chapter, or a change to a previous chapter. The new chapters are automatically added to your account, so you can also check back there any time you're ready and download or read them online.

I am a Packt subscriber, do I get Early Access? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Yes, all Early Access content is fully available through your subscription. You will need to have a paid for or active trial subscription in order to access all titles.

How is Early Access delivered? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Early Access is currently only available as a PDF or through our online reader. As we make changes or add new chapters, the files in your Packt account will be updated so you can download them again or view them online immediately.

How do I buy Early Access content? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Early Access is a way of us getting our content to you quicker, but the method of buying the Early Access course is still the same. Just find the course you want to buy, go through the check-out steps, and you’ll get a confirmation email from us with information and a link to the relevant Early Access courses.

What is Early Access? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Keeping up to date with the latest technology is difficult; new versions, new frameworks, new techniques. This feature gives you a head-start to our content, as it's being created. With Early Access you'll receive each chapter as it's written, and get regular updates throughout the product's development, as well as the final course as soon as it's ready.We created Early Access as a means of giving you the information you need, as soon as it's available. As we go through the process of developing a course, 99% of it can be ready but we can't publish until that last 1% falls in to place. Early Access helps to unlock the potential of our content early, to help you start your learning when you need it most. You not only get access to every chapter as it's delivered, edited, and updated, but you'll also get the finalized, DRM-free product to download in any format you want when it's published. As a member of Packt, you'll also be eligible for our exclusive offers, including a free course every day, and discounts on new and popular titles.