Adaptive Security Algorithm
Adaptive Security Algorithm (ASA) is the foundation on which the PIX Firewall is built. It defines how PIX examines traffic passing through it and applies various rules to it. The basic concept behind ASA is to keep track of the various connections being formed from the networks behind the PIX to the public network. Based on the information collected about these connections, ASA allows packets to come back into the private network through the firewall. All other traffic destined for the private...
PIX Set up for Cut Through Proxy Authentication and Authorization
As discussed earlier, PIX can perform authentication for connections established through it. It also can perform authorization for the connections using an AAA server. Cut-through proxy refers to the fact that as soon as a user has been authenticated through the PIX Firewall, the PIX keeps a record of that user's authentication credentials and switches the rest of the packets from that user based on these credentials without going through the authentication phase again. This case study shows...
Miscellaneous sysopt Commands
Sysopt commands are used to turn on some system features that are used for some very specific network behaviors. These commands allow the PIX to modify its behavior to respond to a unique set of circumstances, such as issues on the network with the path MTU or devices that do not follow the normal protocol sequences. Examples of some of the most commonly used sysopt commands are provided in the following sections. The sysopt connection timewait command is necessary to cater to end host...