Introduction
A firewall is an appliance (a combination of hardware and software) or an application (software) designed to control the flow of Internet Protocol (IP) traffic to or from a network or electronic equipment. Firewalls are used to examine network traffic and enforce policies based on instructions contained within the Firewall's Ruleset. Firewalls represent one component of a strategy to combat malicious activities and assaults on computing resources and network-accessible information. Other components include, but are not limited to, antivirus software, intrusion detection software, patch management, strong passwords/passphrases, and spyware detection utilities. Binghamton University uses a firewall that incorporates several strategies to increase the safety of data on our network.
Binghamton University's Firewall:
As the security profile of the Internet changes, Binghamton University ITS continually evaluates new threats and adjusts security processes to keep the computers and data on our network as secure as possible without impeding productivity.
Closed Ports
To protect against network threats, following ports, which are some of the most highly used vectors for attacking network resources on nearly every network in the world, are closed at the edge firewall:
- Port 22 - SSH
- Ports 53 - DNS
- Port 80 - HTTP (web)
- Port 110 - POP3
- Port 143 - IMAP
- Port 443 - HTTPS (SSL WEB)
While these ports are closed at the edge firewall, it does not prevent you from using them from within our network or from outside our network. You can access them by using the SSL VPN. Learn more about SSL VPN and access it at https://ssl.binghamton.edu.
Firewall Change Request
If you have a request to add or change a firewall rule, please submit a request using the IT Self Service Exception Request form. Most requests are processed within three business days. If necessary, you may be contacted for additional information regarding your change request.
