Create Master NGFW Engines or Virtual NGFW Engines

A Master NGFW Engine is a physical engine device that provides the resources for Virtual NGFW Engines. One physical Master NGFW Engine can support multiple Virtual NGFW Engines.

Selecting a Virtual Resource for the Virtual NGFW Engine automatically adds the Virtual NGFW Engine to the Master NGFW Engine where the Virtual Resource is used.

For more details about the product and how to configure features, click Help or press F1.

Steps

  1. Select Configuration.
  2. Select from the following:
    • New > Other > Master NGFW Engine.
    • New > <NGFW Engine Type> > Virtual <NGFW Engine Type>.
  3. If creating a Master NGFW Engine, select the role for the Virtual NGFW Engines that this Master NGFW Engine will host, then click OK.
    Note: You cannot change the role after you create the Master NGFW Engine element.
  4. Configure the settings on the branches of the Engine Editor.
    The branches shown can vary depending on the type of NGFW Engine.
  5. To save your changes, click Save.
  6. When you have finished making all your changes and want to transfer the configuration to the NGFW Engine, click Save and Refresh.

Engine Editor > Common elements

Use the Engine Editor toolbar options to save changes to the configuration and refresh the policy on the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Save Validates and saves the changes.
Save and Refresh Validates and saves the changes, and refreshes the policy on the NGFW Eengine.
Tools menu Validate — Validates the changes without saving them.

Engine Editor > General

Use this branch to change general NGFW Engine settings.

Option Definition
Name The name of the element.
Node Name

(Optional)

The name of the NGFW Engine node.
Certificate Settings

(Optional)

Allows you to define certificate settings for the NGFW Engine node for use external certificate management. Click Certificate Settings to create a certificate request for the NGFW Engine node.
Version

(Not available for clusters)

The version of the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall software. Not editable.
Status

(Not available for clusters)

Shows the configuration status of the NGFW Engine. Not editable.
Log Server Specifies the Log Server to which the NGFW Engine sends event data. If the NGFW Engine is a Master NGFW Engine, the hosted Virtual NGFW Engines send log data to the same Log Server.
DNS IP Addresses

(Optional)

Specifies the IP addresses of the DNS servers that the NGFW Engine uses. DNS IP addresses are IP addresses of external DNS servers. NGFW Engines use these DNS servers to resolve Domain names to IP addresses. NGFW Engines need DNS resolution to contact services that are defined using URLs or domain names, and to resolve fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) used in policies.

(Firewall/VPN role only) For DNS relay, specifies the IP addresses of external DNS servers to which the NGFW Engine forwards DNS requests from clients in the internal network. When DNS relay is configured, these DNS servers are used unless domain-specific DNS servers are specified in a DNS Relay Profile element.

If you have configured at least one Physical Interface with a dynamic IP address or one static NetLink with a DNS IP address, the default value of the DNS IP Addresses field is The engine uses NetLink-specific DNS IP addresses.

Note: If you have defined NetLink-specific DNS IP addresses, adding DNS IP addresses overrides the NetLink-specific DNS IP addresses.
Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element. Select one of the following options:
  • IP Address — Adds an IP Address element that represents a single IP address.
  • Network Element — Adds a Network element that represents a network space.
Geolocation Specifies the geographical location of the NGFW Engine.
Location Specifies the location for the NGFW Engine if there is a NAT device between the NGFW Engine and other SMC components.
Proof-of-Serial

(Appliances only)

Shows the Proof-of-Serial code of the Forcepoint NGFW appliance. Not editable.
Category

(Optional)

 Includes the element in predefined categories. Click Select to select a category.
Tools Profile Adds commands to the right-click menu for the element. Click Select to select an element.
Comment

(Optional)

 A comment for your own reference.

Engine Editor > General > Clustering

Use this branch to view nodes and add new nodes to the NGFW Engine cluster.

Option Definition
Node ID

(Not editable)

 Shows the ID number of the node.
Name Specifies the name of the node. Double-click the cell to edit the name.
Configuration Status

(Not editable)

 Shows the configuration status of the node.
Certificate

(Optional)

 Shows information about the node's certificate for external certificate management. Right-click the cell, then select Edit Certificate to create a certificate request for the NGFW Engine node.

You must create a separate certificate request for each NGFW Engine node.
Version

(Not editable)

 Shows the version of the NGFW Engine software that is installed on the engine.
Comment

(Optional)

 A comment for your own reference.
SNMP Location Specifies the SNMP location string that is returned on queries to the SNMPv2-MIB or SNMPv2-MIB-sysLocation object.
SNMP Engine ID

(SNMPv3 only)

A unique identifier for each NGFW Engine node that is used by the SNMP agent.

The engine ID is used with a hash function to generate keys for authentication and encryption of SNMPv3 messages. If you do not specify the SNMP engine ID, an SNMP engine ID is automatically generated.
Disabled Disables the node. You can enable the node later.
Add Node Adds a node to the cluster. Opens the Engine Node Properties dialog box.
Edit Node Allows you to change the properties of the selected node. Opens the Engine Node Properties dialog box.
Remove Node Deletes the selected node. The deleted node cannot be restored.
Clustering Mode

(Not Layer 2 Firewalls)
  • Balancing — All nodes are simultaneously online providing enhanced performance and high availability if there is node failure. Balancing mode is the default mode.
  • Standby — Only one node can be online at a time. We recommend having at least one other node on standby to allow automatic takeover if there is failure. Several nodes can be on standby at a time. A randomly selected standby node is turned online when the online node fails.
Note: Only standby clustering mode is supported for Layer 2 Firewall Clusters.
Clustering Allows you to change advanced settings for the cluster. Opens the Advanced Cluster Settings dialog box.

Engine Editor > General > Tester

Use this branch to configure the tester to run various checks on the NGFW Engines and initiate responses based on the success or failure of these tests.

Note: These settings are not supported for Virtual NGFW Engines.
Option Definition
Global Settings section
Alert Interval Specify the time in minutes the NGFW Engine waits before sending a new alert when the same test keeps failing repeatedly. The default value is 60 minutes. If the interval is too short, the alerts can overload the system or the alert recipient.
Delay After Specify the time in seconds that the NGFW Engine waits before it resumes running the tests after the listed events. The delay prevents false test failures that can occur due to variations in how quickly different processes and subsystems can start and stop. The maximum value is 1800.
  • Boot — The default is 30 seconds.
  • Reconfiguration — The default is 5 seconds.
  • Status Change — The default is 5 seconds.
Auto Recovery

(Clusters and Master NGFW Engines only)

When selected, the NGFW Engine automatically goes back online when a previously failed test completes successfully. Run the test in both online and offline states if you activate this option.
Boot Recovery When selected, the NGFW Engine automatically goes back online after restarting if all offline tests report a success.
Global Node Selection for Engine Tests
Filter Allows you to filter the elements shown.
Tools A menu that contains various options, such as for creating new elements or showing elements that have been moved to the Trash.
Active Shows whether the node is included in the tests that have been configured for the engine. Deselect to exclude a node from all NGFW Engine tests.
Tip: If you select ALL for the Node setting in the test properties, you can use the Global Node Selection for Engine Tests table to exclude a specific node from the test.
Name Specifies the name of the node.
Node Specifies the node ID.
Set to Default Returns tester changes to the default settings.
Option Definition
Engine Tests section
Filter Allows you to filter the elements shown.
Tools A menu that contains various options, such as for creating new elements or showing elements that have been moved to the Trash.
Name The name of the test. If you want to run more than one instance of the same test type with different parameters, give each test a unique name.
Active Shows whether the test is active. Deselect to deactivate a test.
Node Specifies whether the test applies to all nodes or a selected node.
Interval Specifies how often the test is run. The minimum interval is one second and the maximum is 86400 (one day).
Note: We recommend a minimum interval of four seconds. Running a test too frequently can increase overhead.
States Shows the NGFW Engine states on which the test is run.
Action Specifies which action is taken if the test fails, and which type of notification is sent.
Parameters Shows some test details.
Add Adds a test to the table:
  • External — Runs a custom script stored on the NGFW Engine. If the script returns the code zero (0), the test is considered successful, otherwise the test is considered failed.
  • File System Space — Checks the free disk space on a hard disk partition.
  • Free Swap Space — Checks the available swap space on the hard disk.
  • Inline Pair Link Speed — Checks whether the network settings (speed/duplex) match on the two ports that form the inline pair and can force ports to use the same settings. Not available in the Firewall/VPN role.
  • Link Status — Checks whether a network port reports the link as up or down.
  • Multiping — Sends out a series of ping requests to determine whether there is connectivity through a network link.
  • Policy — This option is included for backward compatibility with legacy NGFW software versions.
Edit Allows you to change the test properties.
Remove Removes the test from the table.

Engine Editor > General > Permissions

Use this branch to change permissions settings to control the administration of NGFW Engines.

Option Definition
Administrator Permissions section
Access Control Lists Shows the Access Control Lists that have been selected. Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Permissions Shows the administrators that have permissions. Click Add Permission to add a row to the list, or Remove Permission to remove the selected row. Click the Administrator cell to select the administrator.
Option Definition
Local Administrators section
Administrator If local administrators have been defined, shows the names.
Info Shows whether the local administrator can execute root-level commands with the sudo tool.
Option Definition
Policies section
Allowed Policies Shows the policies that are allowed to be installed. Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element. To allow the installation of any policy, select Set to ANY.
Option Definition
Reporting section
E-mail Address(es) The email addresses to which generated reports are sent when this NGFW Engine is the sender of log data for the report.

To add several addresses, separate the addresses with a comma.

Engine Editor > General > DNS Relay

Use this branch to enable and configure DNS relay for firewalls.

Option Definition
DNS Relay Profile Allows you to select a DNS Relay Profile element.
  • Select — Opens a dialog box where you can select an existing DNS Relay Profile element.
  • None — Removes the previously selected DNS Relay Profile element. Selecting None deactivates DNS Relay.
  • New — Allows you to create a new DNS Relay Profile element. Opens the DNS Relay Profile Properties dialog box.
Listening IP Addresses The IP addresses to which clients in the internal network send DNS requests. Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Source for Domain-Specific DNS Queries The IP addresses that are used as source IP addresses when the firewall makes domain-specific DNS queries.

When According to Routing is selected, the source IP address is automatically selected based on the route to the external DNS server.

Engine Editor > General > NTP

Use this branch to enable NTP time synchronization and select NTP servers for the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Enable time synchronization from NTP server When selected, the NGFW Engine uses an external NTP server for time synchronization.
Preferred

(Optional)

 When selected, the NGFW Engine uses the specified NTP server by default.
NTP Server

Lists the available NTP servers. Double-click the cell to select an NTP server.

Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.

Engine Editor > General > SNMP and LLDP

Use this branch to enable the NGFW Engine to send SNMP traps and to select the LLDP Profile for the NGFW Engine.

Note: These settings are not supported for Virtual NGFW Engines.
Option Definition
SNMP section
SNMP Agent Enables the NGFW Engine to send SNMP traps.
  • Select — Select an existing SNMP Agent element.
  • None — Disables the sending of SNMP traps.
  • New — Create an SNMP Agent element.
SNMP Location Specifies the SNMP location string that is returned on queries to the SNMPv2-MIB or SNMPv2-MIB-sysLocation object.
SNMP Engine ID

(Single NGFW Engines and SNMPv3 only)

A unique identifier for the NGFW Engine that is used by the SNMP agent.

The engine ID is used with a hash function to generate keys for authentication and encryption of SNMPv3 messages. If you do not specify the SNMP engine ID, an SNMP engine ID is automatically generated.
Listening IP Addresses The IPv4 or IPv6 addresses from which SNMP traps are sent. Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.
LLDP section
LLDP Profile

(NGFW Engines and Master NGFW Engines in the Firewall/VPN role only)

 The LLDP Profile element that specifies settings for LLDP announcements that the NGFW Engine announces. Click Select to select an element.

Engine Editor > General > Layer 2 Settings

Use this branch to configure settings for layer 2 physical interfaces on Single Firewalls, Firewall Clusters, and Virtual Firewalls.

Option Definition
Policy for Layer 2 Interfaces

The Layer 2 Interface Policy that contains rules for traffic detected by layer 2 physical interfaces.

All layer 2 physical interfaces on the NGFW Engine use the same Layer 2 Interface Policy. If there are no layer 2 physical interfaces, this setting is ignored.
Layer 2 Interface Settings section Defines settings for connection tracking on layer 2 physical interfaces.
Layer 2 Connection Tracking Mode

When connection tracking is enabled, reply packets are allowed as part of the allowed connection without an explicit Access rule.

You can override this engine-specific setting and configure connection tracking for TCP, UDP, and ICMP traffic in Access rules.

  • Normal — The engine drops ICMP error messages related to connections that are not currently active in connection tracking. A valid, complete TCP handshake is required for TCP traffic. The engine checks the traffic direction and the port parameters of UDP traffic.
  • Strict — The engine does not permit TCP traffic to pass through before a complete, valid TCP handshake is performed.
  • Loose — The engine allows some connection patterns and address translation operations that are not allowed in the Normal mode. This mode can be used, for example, if routing is asymmetric and cannot be corrected or if the use of dynamic routing protocols causes the engine to receive non-standard traffic patterns.
Inline IPS and Capture Interface Settings section Defines advanced settings for Inline IPS Interfaces and Capture Interfaces.
Bypass Traffic on Overload

When selected, the NGFW Engine dynamically reduces the number of inspected connections if the load is too high.

Some traffic might pass through without any access control or inspection if this option is selected. Bypassed traffic is not counted when a possible license throughput limit is enforced. The bypass does not affect traffic subject to TLS Inspection.

If this option is not selected, the NGFW Engine inspects all connections. Some connections might not get through if the engine gets overloaded.

Engine Editor > Interfaces

Use this branch to configure the necessary interfaces and IP addresses for the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Add Adds an interface or IP address of the specified type:
  • Layer 3 Physical Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls, Firewall Clusters, Virtual Firewalls, and Master NGFW Engines in the Firewall/VPN role)

  • Layer 2 Physical Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls, Firewall Clusters, Virtual Firewalls, and Master NGFW Engines in the Firewall/VPN role)

  • Physical Interface

    (Available for all engine types except Single Firewalls, Firewall Clusters, Virtual Firewalls, and Master NGFW Engines in the Firewall/VPN role)

  • VLAN Interface

    (Available for all engine types)

  • IPv4 Address

    (Not available for Virtual IPS engines or Virtual Layer 2 Firewalls)

  • IPv6 Address

    (Not available for Virtual IPS engines or Virtual Layer 2 Firewalls)

  • ADSL Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls and Firewall Clusters)

  • Tunnel Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls, Firewall Clusters, and Virtual Firewalls)

  • Modem Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls)

  • Wireless Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls)

  • SSID Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls)

  • Switch

    (Available for Single Firewalls)

  • Port Group Interface

    (Available for Single Firewalls)

CAUTION:
Physical Interfaces for Virtual NGFW Engines are automatically created based on the interface configuration in the Master NGFW Engine properties. The number of Physical Interfaces depends on the number of interfaces allocated to the Virtual NGFW Engine in the Master NGFW Engine. Physical Interfaces that you add to Virtual NGFW Engines might not be valid.
Edit Allows you to change the properties of the interface or IP address.
Remove Removes the selected interface or IP address.

Engine Editor > Interfaces > Interface Options

Use this branch to define which IP addresses are used in particular roles in the NGFW Engine's system communications.

Option Definition
Control Interface

(Not Virtual Firewalls)

  • Primary — Specifies the Primary Control IP address for Management Server contact.
  • Backup (Optional) — Specifies the Backup Control IP address that is used if the Primary Control IP address is not available.
Note: We recommend that you do not use the IP address of an Aggregated Link interface as the primary or secondary control IP address of the NGFW Engine.
Node-Initiated Contact to Management Server When selected, the NGFW Engine opens a connection to the Management Server and maintains connectivity. This option is always used with a dynamic control IP address, so it is always selected if the control IP address is dynamic. If the connection is not open when you command the NGFW Engine through the Management Client, the command is left pending until the NGFW Engine opens the connection again.
Note: This option is not supported for IPS Clusters, Layer 2 Firewall Clusters, or Virtual NGFW Engines.
Heartbeat Interface

(Clusters and Master NGFW Engines only)

  • Primary — Specifies communications between the nodes. We recommend that you use a Physical Interface, not a VLAN Interface. We strongly recommend that you do not direct any other traffic through this interface. A dedicated network helps guarantee reliable and secure operation.
    CAUTION:
    Primary and Backup Heartbeat networks exchange confidential information. If dedicated networks are not possible, configure the cluster to encrypt the exchanged information.
  • Backup — Used if the Primary Heartbeat Interface is unavailable. It is not mandatory to configure a backup Heartbeat Interface, but we strongly recommend it. If heartbeat traffic is not delivered, the cluster cannot operate and traffic is interrupted. We strongly recommend that you use a dedicated interface for the backup heartbeat as well.

On Master NGFW Engines, you cannot use shared interfaces as a heartbeat interface.
IPv4 Identity for Authentication Requests or IPv6 Identity for Authentication Requests

The IPv4 address or IPv6 address of the selected interface is used when an NGFW Engine contacts an external authentication server.

This option does not affect the routing of the connection with the authentication server. The IP address is used only as a parameter inside the authentication request payload to give a name to the request sender.

IPv4 Source for Authentication Requests or IPv6 Source for Authentication Requests By default, specifies the source IPv4 address or IPv6 address for authentication requests according to routing. If the authentication requests are sent to an external authentication server over VPN, select an interface with a Node Dedicated IP address that you want to use for the authentication requests.
Default IP Address for Outgoing Traffic Specifies the IP address that the NGFW Engine uses to initiate connections (such as for system communications and ping) through an interface that has no Node Dedicated IP Address. In clusters, you must select an interface that has an IP address defined for all nodes.

Engine Editor > Interfaces > Virtual Resources

Use this branch to add Virtual Resources to the Master NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Add Adds a Virtual Resource to the Master NGFW Engine. Opens the Virtual Resource Properties dialog box.
Edit Allows you to change the properties of the selected Virtual Resource. Opens the Virtual Resource Properties dialog box.
Remove Deletes the selected Virtual Resource.

Engine Editor > Interfaces > Loopback

Use this branch to define loopback IP addresses for Firewalls. Loopback IP addresses allow you to assign IP addresses that do not belong to any directly connected networks to the Firewall.

Option Definition
Bypass Default IP Address Specifies how the source IP address for traffic sent from the NGFW Engine node is selected for tunnel interfaces that do not have IP addresses.
  • Use Loopback IP Address in Unnumbered Tunnel Interface — Uses an IP address listed in the table as the source IP address of traffic sent from the NGFW Engine node.
  • Use Default Outgoing IP Address in Unnumbered Tunnel Interface — Uses the default outgoing IP address defined in the Interface Options pane as the source IP address of traffic sent from the NGFW Engine node.
Loopback addresses table Click Add Row to add a row to the table, or Remove Row to remove the selected row. Click Up or Down to move the selected item up or down.
Loopback Address Enter the loopback IP address.
CVI Address

(Clusters only)

 Enter the loopback IP address for the cluster.
Node NDI Address

(Clusters only)

 Enter the node-specific loopback IP address.
OSPFv2 Area To advertise the loopback IP address as an OSPFv2 internal route, double-click the cell, then select an OSPFv2 Area element.
Comment

(Optional)

 A comment for your own reference.

Engine Editor > Interfaces > ARP Entries

Use this branch to manually add ARP entries for IPv4 or neighbor discover entries for IPv6.

Option Definition
Type
  • Static — The ARP entry gives the NGFW Engine a permanent reference to an IP address/MAC address pair.
  • Proxy — The ARP entry gives the NGFW Engine a reference to an IP address/MAC address pair for which the NGFW Engine provides proxy ARP. Proxy ARP is possible only for hosts located in networks directly connected to the NGFW Engine.
Interface ID The interface on which you want to apply this ARP entry
IP Addresses Enter an IPv4 or IPv6 address.
MAC Address Enter a MAC Address.
Add ARP Entry Adds an ARP entry.
Remove ARP Entry Removes the selected ARP entry.

Engine Editor > Routing

Use this branch to view and change the routing configuration of the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Filter Allows you to view only the elements that match what you enter in the Filter field.
Refresh View Updates the view.
Expand All Expands all levels of the routing tree.
Collapse All Collapses all levels of the routing tree.
Display Mode Changes how the routing configuration is displayed.
  • Tree View — Displays the routing configuration as a tree of interfaces, Router elements, NetLink elements, and destination networks.
  • Table View — Displays the routing configuration as a table of destination networks, routing gateways, interfaces, and NetLink elements.
Default Route Allows you to view and create default routes that are used when there is no more specific route defined.
Note: If the Automatic Default Route setting is selected in the properties of the interface, default routes are created automatically for interfaces with dynamic IP addresses on single NGFW Engines.
  • Gateway — The IP address of the gateway device. You can also double-click the field and select a gateway device for the route.
  • Add — Adds the default route to the routing configuration.
  • Show Default Route — Highlights the default route in the Tree View or the Table View.
Add Route Allows you to add routes to specific destination networks.
  • Destination — The destination IP address or network.
  • Gateway — The IP address of the gateway device. You can also double-click the field and select a gateway device for the route.
  • Add — Adds the route to the routing configuration.
Query Route Allows you to search for routes.
  • Source — The source IP address.
  • Destination — The destination IP address.
  • Query — Highlights the route in the Tree View or the Table View.

Engine Editor > Routing > Link Usage

Use this branch to select a Link Usage Profile for an NGFW Engine and to define link usage exceptions for the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Link Usage Profile To enable dynamic link selection for the NGFW Engine, select a Link Usage Profile element.
Link Usage Profile Properties (read only)

(Not editable)

 Shows the properties of the selected Link Usage Profile element.
Exceptions to Link Usage Profile table (When a Link Usage Profile element has been selected)

Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.

Click Up or Down to move the selected item up or down.
Source The source IP addresses or users that the rule matches.

Double-click the cell to select an element. You can also use type-ahead search to select an element.
Destination The destination IP addresses or users that the rule matches.

Double-click the cell to select an element. You can also use type-ahead search to select an element.
Service The service or Network Application that the rule matches.

Double-click the cell to select an element. You can also use type-ahead search to select an element.
ISP Link The NetLink that traffic that matches the rule uses.

Double-click the cell to select an element.

Comment

(Optional)

 A comment for your own reference.

Engine Editor > Routing > Dynamic Routing

Use this branch to configure dynamic routing for the engine. Dynamic routing enables firewalls to automatically change their routing when the network topology changes.

Option Definition
BGP section
Enabled When selected, the BGP protocol for dynamic routing is enabled.
Router ID Enter an ID for the Firewall. The ID must be unique. Often, the global IPv4 address is the ID. By default, the Router ID is automatically the loopback CVI address or the highest CVI address available on the Firewall Cluster.
BGP Profile Select the BGP Profile to use. The element contains distance, redistribution, and aggregation settings.
Autonomous System Select the Autonomous System (AS) to use. An AS represents a whole network or a series of networks.
Announced Networks table You can add hosts, networks, or groups that contain both hosts and networks. Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Option Definition
OSPFv2 section
Enabled When selected, the OSPFv2 protocol for dynamic routing is enabled.
Router ID Enter an ID for the Firewall.
OSPFv2 Profile Select the OSPFv2 Profile to use. The element contains distance, redistribution, and aggregation settings.
Additional Networks to Automatically Add to Antispoofing Elements that you add are automatically added under all interfaces (that have dynamic routing elements configured) on the Antispoofing branch in the Engine Editor. You can add hosts, networks, or groups that contain both hosts and networks. Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Option Definition
Equal Cost Multi Path Count

(Optional, BGP only)

 Enter the number of paths in the operating system routing table that have an equal routing priority for multi-path routing.
Additional Networks to Automatically Add to Antispoofing

(Optional, all protocols)

 Elements that you add are automatically added under all interfaces (that have dynamic routing elements configured) on the Antispoofing branch in the Engine Editor. You can add hosts, networks, or groups that contain both hosts and networks. Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element.

Engine Editor > Routing > Antispoofing

Use this branch to view and change the antispoofing configuration.

Option Definition
Refresh View Updates the view.
Expand All Expands all levels of the routing tree.
Collapse All Collapses all levels of the routing tree.

Engine Editor > Routing > Multicast Routing

Use this branch to define static multicast, IGMP-based multicast forwarding, or PIM dynamic routing. Only IPv4 addresses are supported.

Option Definition
Multicast Routing Mode Specifies how the NGFW Engine routes multicast traffic.
  • None — Disables multicast routing.
  • Static — Enables options that allow you to add static routes for multicast traffic.
  • IGMP Proxy — Enables options that allow you to use the NGFW Engine for IGMP-based multicast forwarding.
  • PIM — Enables options that allow you to use the NGFW Engine for dynamic routing using PIM.
Option Definition
When Multicast Routing Mode is Static

Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
Source Interface Select the interface to use for multicast routing.
Source IP Address Enter the unicast IP address of the multicast source.
Destination IP Address Enter the multicast destination IP address. The destination address must be within the multicast range of 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255.
Destination Interface Right-click Destination Interface, then select Edit Destination Interface to select the interfaces where you want this multicast traffic forwarded.
Comment

(Optional)

 A comment for your own reference.
Option Definition
When Multicast Routing Mode is IGMP Proxy
Upstream Interface Select the interface to use as the upstream interface. If the multicast servers and the hosts are in the local networks, or if you want to limit the multicast to the local networks, it is not necessary to define the upstream interface. In that case, leave Not Set selected.
Upstream IGMP Version Select the IGMP version according to the upstream network environment. The default IGMP version is version 3.
Downstream Interfaces table

Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
Interface Select the downstream interfaces.
IGMP Querier Settings Select an IGMP Querier Settings element according to the downstream network environment. The element defines the IGMP version and query parameters.
Option Definition
When Multicast Routing Mode is PIM
PIM Profile Select a PIM Profile to use. The profile contains the multicast groups and determines the PIM mode that is used.
Multicast Routing Preference
Note: This option is not supported in this version of Forcepoint NGFW.
The routing table is used to specify reverse path forwarding (RPF) information whenever multicast traffic from source addresses uses a different path than unicast traffic from the same source address.
  • Prefer Best Match — The RPF lookup prefers the best match based on both the default routing table and the Multicast routing (mroute) table.
  • Prefer mroute — The RPF lookup uses the mroute table. If the mroute table cannot be used, the default routing table is used.
Bootstrap Settings — see RFC 5059 for more information.
RP Candidate If you want to use the firewall as a rendezvous point (RP) candidate, select an IP address. Otherwise, select Not a Candidate.
RP Priority Enter a value for the RP priority.
Multicast Groups Add the multicast IPv4 networks for which the firewall acts as an RP candidate. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
BSR Candidate If you want to use the firewall as a bootstrap router (BSR) candidate, select an IP address. Otherwise, select Not a Candidate.
BSR Priority Enter a value for the BSR priority.

Engine Editor > Routing > Policy Routing

Use this branch to define policy routing for the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
IPv4 Policy Routes or IPv6 Policy Routes Enter the routing information in the appropriate table. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row. Click Up or Down to move the selected element up or down.
Source IP Address Enter the source IP address. This IP address is always something other than the default 0.0.0.0 that matches any IP address. Such configurations can be handled more easily with the normal routing tools in the Routing pane.
Source Netmask

(IPv4 only)

Enter the netmask for the source IP address.
Source Prefix

(IPv6 only)

Enter the network prefix for the source IP address.
Destination IP Address Enter the destination IP address.
Destination Netmask

(IPv4 only)

Enter the netmask for the destination IP address.
Destination Prefix

(IPv6 only)

Enter the network prefix for the destination IP address.
Gateway IP Address Enter the IP address of the device to which packets that match the source/destination pair are forwarded.
Comment

(Optional)

 A comment for your own reference.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons

Use this branch to view a summary of the add-on features and the status of each feature.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > Endpoint Integration

Use this branch to enable endpoint integration on the engine and change the settings for the endpoint client communication.

Option Definition
When Endpoint Service is Forcepoint Endpoint Context Agent
ECA Listener Certificate The internal certificate for the NGFW Engine that listens for Forcepoint One Endpoint traffic. The certificate is generated automatically when you save the Forcepoint One Endpoint configuration.
Signing CA The internal CA that signed the certificate.
ECA Configuration The selected ECA Configuration element. Click Select to select an element.
Source Networks Add the networks or zones that contain the Forcepoint One Endpoint clients. The Forcepoint One Endpoint clients located in these networks or zones send endpoint information to this Firewall. Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Destination Networks Add the networks or zones where outbound connections are going. The Forcepoint One Endpoint clients send endpoint information only if the destination address is located in these networks or zones. If filtering based on both source address and destination address, both conditions must be met.

Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Listening Interfaces The interfaces or zones the NGFW Engine uses to listen for Forcepoint One Endpoint traffic. Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Listening Port The port on which the NGFW Engine listens for Forcepoint One Endpoint traffic.
Export Configuration for Endpoint Clients Opens the Export ECA Configuration dialog box, where you can export an XML file that contains the Forcepoint One Endpoint configuration and details of all the NGFW Engines that use the same ECA Configuration element. You must first save the NGFW Engine configuration.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > TLS Inspection

Use this branch to activate TLS inspection. You can configure TLS inspection for client or server protection.

Note: These settings are not supported for Master NGFW Engines.
Option Definition
Client Protection Certificate Authority Select the Client Protection Certificate Authority element to use for client protection.
TLS Credentials Specifies the Server Protection Credentials elements that are used for server protection. Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Check Certificate Revocation When selected, the NGFW Engine uses CRL or OCSP to check whether certificates have been revoked.
Decrypt All Traffic When selected, the NGFW Engine forces all traffic to be decrypted. When the checkbox is not selected, the NGFW Engine either decrypts or does not decrypt traffic according to the settings in TLS Match elements.
Cryptography Suite Set

(TLS 1.2 and lower)

 Specifies the TLS Cryptography Suite Set element that defines which cryptographic algorithms are allowed for TLS traffic that is decrypted for TLS Client Protection. Click Select to select an element.
Note: If you use TLS 1.3 with NGFW Engine version 6.11 or higher, the NGFW Engine decrypts all supported TLS 1.3 cryptographic algorithms.
Do not decrypt destinations signed with these certificates The NGFW Engine does not decrypt the TLS connection where the server certificate is signed by one of the issuer certificates listed in this field.
Active destination server certificate probing When selected, it enables the NGFW Engine to fetch the server certificate over a separate TLS connection before establishing the original connection.
Server certificate cache timeout The set value for this field determines how long the previously fetched certificates are to be retained.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > User Authentication

Use this branch to enable user authentication. You can configure authentication using HTTP connections or encrypted HTTPS connections.

Option Definition
Authentication Time-Out Defines the length of time after which authentication expires and users must re-authenticate.
Authentication Idle Time-Out Defines an idle timeout for user authentication. If there have been no new connections within the specified time limit after the closing of a user's previous connection, the user is removed from the list of authenticated users.
HTTP When selected, allows authentication using plain HTTP connections. Change the Port number if you want to use a different port for the authentication interface. The default port is 80.
HTTPS When selected, allows authentication using encrypted HTTPS connections. Change the Port number if you want to use a different port for the authentication interface. The default port is 443.

This option is required for client certificate authentication.
HTTPS Settings Opens the Browser-Based User Authentication HTTPS Configuration dialog box.
TLS Profile The TLS Profile element that defines TLS settings for HTTPS connections for authentication, and the trusted certificate authority for client certificate authentication. Click Select to select an element.

This option is required for client certificate authentication.
Use Client Certificates for Authentication When selected, the NGFW Engine allows users to authenticate using X.509 certificates. Client certificate authentication is supported for browser-based user authentication.
Always Use HTTPS When selected, redirects connections to the HTTPS port and enforces the use of HTTPS if the NGFW Engine also listens on other ports.
Listen on Interfaces Restricts the interfaces that users can authenticate through.
  • All — Users can authenticate through all interfaces.
  • Selected — Users can only authenticate through the selected interfaces.
User Authentication Page Select the User Authentication Page element that defines the look of the logon, challenge, re-authentication, and status page shown to end users when they authenticate.
Enable Session Handling

(Optional)

 When selected, enables cookie-based strict session handling.
Note: When Enable Session Handling is selected, the Authentication Idle Time-Out option is not available. The Refresh Status Page Every option defines the authentication timeout.
Refresh Status Page Every

(Optional)

 Defines how often the status page is automatically refreshed. When Enable Session Handling is selected, defines the authentication timeout.

Browser-Based User Authentication HTTPS Configuration dialog box

Use this dialog box to change the properties of an HTTPS certificate for browser-based user authentication.

Option Definition
Organization (O)

(Optional)

 The name of your organization as it appears in the certificate.
Organization Unit (OU)

(Optional)

 The name of your department or division as it appears in the certificate.
State/Province (ST)

(Optional)

 The name of state or province as it appears in the certificate.
Locality (L)

(Optional)

 The name of the city as it appears in the certificate.
Common Name (CN) The value for the Common Name field in the certificate request. For server certificates, the value is typically the fully qualified domain name (FQDN).
Key Length The length of the key in bits.
Sign
With External Certificate Authority Select this option if you want to create a certificate request that another certificate authority signs.
Internally with Select this option to sign the certificate using an internal CA. If more than one valid internal CA is available, select the internal CA that signs the certificate request. There can be multiple valid internal CAs in the following cases:
  • There is both an Internal RSA CA for Gateways and an Internal ECDSA CA for Gateways.
  • The Internal CA for Gateways is in the process of being renewed and both the previous CA and the new CA are temporarily available.
Generate Request Generates the request. The certificate request is shown in the same dialog box.
Option Definition
Certificate Request — if signing with an external certificate authority
Subject Name The identifier of the certified entity.
Export Opens the Export Certificate Request dialog box.
Import Certificate Opens the Import Certificate dialog box.
Delete Deletes the certificate request.
Sign Internally Signs the certificate with the Internal CA. If more than one valid internal CA is available, opens the Sign Certificate Request dialog box.
Option Definition
Certificate Request — if signing with an internal certificate authority
Subject Name The identifier of the certified entity.
Public Key Algorithm The algorithm used for the public key.
Key Length The length of the key in bits.
Serial Number The sequence number of the certificate. The number is issued by the CA.
Signature Algorithm The signature algorithm that was used to sign the certificate.
Signed By The CA that signed the certificate.
SubjectAltName The subject alternative name fields of the certificate.
Valid From The start date of certificate validity.
Valid To The end date of certificate validity.
Fingerprint (SHA-1) The certificate fingerprint using the SHA-1 algorithm.
Fingerprint (SHA-256) The certificate fingerprint using the SHA-256 algorithm.
Fingerprint (SHA-512) The certificate fingerprint using the SHA-512 algorithm.
Export Opens the Export Certificate dialog box.
Delete Deletes the certificate request.

Export Certificate Request dialog box

Use this dialog box to export a certificate request to sign using an external certificate authority.

Option Definition
Certificate request field Shows the certificate request as text. You can copy and paste the certificate request into an external application to sign the certificate.
Export Exports the certificate request so that you can sign it using an external certificate authority. Opens the Export Certificate Request dialog box.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > User Identification

Use this branch to select a User Identification Service element.

Note: These settings are not supported for Master NGFW Engines or Virtual NGFW Engines.
Option Definition
User Identification Service The Forcepoint User ID Service and Integrated User ID Service provide user, group, and IP address information that can be used in transparent user identification.

The Integrated User ID Service is primarily meant for demonstration purposes and proof-of-concept testing of user identification services.

  • Select — Allows you to select an existing Forcepoint User ID Service or Integrated User ID Service element.
  • None — Disables transparent user identification.
Note: For Forcepoint NGFW version 6.4 or higher, we recommend that you use the Forcepoint User ID Service.
Network Filters section (When a Forcepoint User ID Service element is selected)
IP Ranges

(Optional)

 To prevent the NGFW Engine from receiving too many logon events, specify the IP address ranges of networks from which to receive logon events.

Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.

We recommend adding the IP address ranges of networks for which the NGFW Engine routes traffic.

Note: Network filters do not exclude other IP addresses outside of the specified IP address range if a user has at least one logon in the specified IP address range. The NGFW Engine might still receive logon events from other IP address ranges.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > Anti-Malware

Use this branch to enable and change settings for anti-malware checks on the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Enable Enables anti-malware checks.
Malware Log Level The log level for anti-malware events.
  • None — Does not create any log entry.
  • Transient — Creates a log entry that is displayed in the Current Events mode in the Logs view, but is not stored.
  • Stored — Creates a log entry that is stored on the Log Server.
  • Essential — Creates a log entry that is shown in the Logs view and saved for further use.
  • Alert — Triggers the alert you select.
Alert When the Log Level is set to Alert, specifies the Alert that is sent.
Option Definition
Malware Signature Update Settings section
Update Frequency Defines how often the NGFW Engine checks for updates to the anti-malware database.
  • Never — The NGFW Engine does not check for updates. You must update the anti-malware database manually.
  • When Anti-Malware Daemon Starts — Checks when the anti-malware daemon starts. The daemon starts, for example, when the anti-malware feature is enabled or when the NGFW Engine restarts.
  • Every Hour — Checks for updates once an hour.
  • Daily — Checks for updates once a day. Set the time of day.
  • Weekly — Checks for updates once a week. Set the day and time of day.
Option Definition
Malware Signature Mirror Settings section
Mirror(s) Enter the URL of the anti-malware database mirror that the NGFW Engine contacts to update the anti-malware database. Separate multiple addresses with commas.
Use HTTP Proxy

(Optional)

Specifies that the NGFW Engine uses an HTTP proxy to connect to the anti-malware database mirrors.
Host The IP address or DNS name of the HTTP proxy.
Port The listening port of the HTTP proxy.
Username The user name for authenticating to the HTTP proxy.
Password The password for authenticating to the HTTP proxy. By default, passwords and keys are not shown in plain text. To show the password or key, deselect the Hide option.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > Sandbox

Use this branch to select and configure sandbox servers for NGFW Engines.

Option Definition
Sandbox Type Specifies which type of sandbox the NGFW Engine uses for sandbox file reputation scans.
  • None — The NGFW Engine does not use a sandbox.
  • Advanced Malware Detection & Protection — The engine uses the Advanced Malware Detection & Protection cloud service for sandbox analysis and file reputation scan.
    Note: This is a licensed service which requires a subscription to use.
  • Cloud Sandbox - Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection — The engine uses the cloud sandbox for Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection.
  • Local Sandbox - Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection — The engine uses the local sandbox for Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection.
    Note: To use the local sandbox for Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection, you must have a Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection appliance.
  • Local Sandbox - McAfee Advanced Threat Defense (ATD) — The engine uses McAfee Advanced Threat Defense.
    Note: McAfee Advanced Threat Defense is no longer supported in NGFW version 6.4.0 and higher. We recommend that you use Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection instead.
Option Definition
When Sandbox Type is Advanced Malware Detection & Protection
Sandbox Service Specifies the sandbox service that the firewall contacts to request a file reputation with the file hash (SHA256), and if not found, sends the file for sandbox analysis. Click Select to select an element.
HTTP Proxies

(Optional)

 When specified, requests are sent through an HTTP proxy instead of the engine accessing the external network directly.

Add — Allows you to add an HTTP Proxy to the list.

Remove — Removes the selected HTTP Proxy from the list.
Option Definition
When Sandbox Type is Cloud Sandbox - Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection
License Key

(Optional)

The license key for the connection to the sandbox server.

  • If you have not entered a license key in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you must enter a license key here.
  • If you have entered a license key in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you can optionally enter a license key here to override the global setting.
Note: The license defines the home data center where files are analyzed. Enter the key and license token for the data center that you want to use as the home data center.
CAUTION:
The license keys and license tokens allow access to confidential analysis reports. Handle the license key and license token securely.
License Token

(Optional)

The license token for the connection to the sandbox server.

  • If you have not entered a license token in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you must enter a license key here.
  • If you have entered a license token in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you can optionally enter a license token here to override the global setting.
Sandbox Service Specifies the sandbox service that the firewall contacts to request file reputation scans. Click Select to select an element.
HTTP Proxies

(Optional)

 When specified, requests are sent through an HTTP proxy instead of the engine accessing the external network directly.

Add — Allows you to add an HTTP Proxy to the list.

Remove — Removes the selected HTTP Proxy from the list.
Option Definition
When Sandbox Type is Local Sandbox - Forcepoint Advanced Malware Detection
License Key

(Optional)

The license key for the connection to the sandbox server.

  • If you have not entered a license key in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you must enter a license key here.
  • If you have entered a license key in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you can optionally enter a license key here to override the global setting.
License Token

(Optional)

The license token for the connection to the sandbox server.

  • If you have not entered a license token in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you must enter a license key here.
  • If you have entered a license token in the properties of the Sandbox Service element, you can optionally enter a license token here to override the global setting.
Sandbox Service Specifies the sandbox service that the firewall contacts to request file reputation scans. Click Select to select an element.
HTTP Proxies

(Optional)

 When specified, requests are sent through an HTTP proxy instead of the engine accessing the external network directly.

Add — Allows you to add an HTTP Proxy to the list.

Remove — Removes the selected HTTP Proxy from the list.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > File Reputation

Use this branch to enable file reputation services for file filtering.

Option Definition
File Reputation Service Select the file reputation service to use.
  • None — Disables file reputation services.
  • Threat Intelligence Exchange (TIE) — This option is included for backward compatibility with legacy NGFW software versions. McAfee Threat Intelligence Exchange (TIE) is no longer supported in NGFW 6.10 and higher.
  • Global Threat Intelligence (GTI) — Enables the use of McAfee GTI file reputation services for file filtering.
Option Definition
When File Reputation Service is Global Threat Intelligence (GTI)
HTTP Proxies

(Optional)

 When specified, requests are sent through an HTTP proxy instead of the engine accessing the external network directly. Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Note: You can only use one HTTP proxy for the connection to the McAfee Global Threat Intelligence file reputation service. If you select more than one HTTP proxy, the additional HTTP proxies are ignored.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > Anti-Spam

The Anti-Spam feature is no longer supported in NGFW version 6.2.0 and higher..

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > Sidewinder Proxy

Use this branch to enable and configure Sidewinder Proxies.

Option Definition
Enable When selected, enables Sidewinder Proxy.
Sidewinder Logging Profile The selected Sidewinder Logging Profile element for the engine. Click Select to open the Select Element dialog box, where you can select a Sidewinder Logging Profile.
SSH Proxy Settings specific to the SSM SSH Proxy.
SSH Known Hosts Lists The selected SSH Known Hosts List elements for the engine. Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Host Keys The SSH host keys used by the firewall when it acts as the SSH server in a connection that uses the SSM SSH Proxy. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row. To import an existing host key, click Import.
Key Type Shows the signature algorithm used for the host key.
Key Length Shows the length of the host key.
SHA256 Fingerprint Shows the SHA256 fingerprint of the host key.
SSH Proxy Services The SSH Proxy Service element with which the host key is used. Double-click the field to open the Select Element dialog box, where you can select a Service element.
Comment

(Optional)

 A comment for your own reference.
Advanced Settings Opens the Advanced Sidewinder Proxy Settings dialog box.

Advanced Sidewinder Proxy Settings dialog box

These settings are intended for advanced users. We do not recommend changing these settings unless you are instructed to do so by Forcepoint Technical Support.

Note: On Master NGFW Engines, these settings are shown in the Add-Ons > Sidewinder Proxy branch of the Engine Editor.
Option Definition
Shared tab
Use this tab to define advanced Sidewinder Proxy settings that are shared by all SSM Proxies. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
Shared Proxy Property The name of the shared advanced Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Value The value of the advanced Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Option Definition
HTTP tab
Use this tab to define advanced Sidewinder Proxy settings for the SSM HTTP Proxy. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
HTTP Proxy Property The name of the advanced HTTP Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Value The value of the advanced Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Option Definition
SSH tab
Use this tab to define advanced Sidewinder Proxy settings for the SSM SSH Proxy. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
SSH Proxy Property The name of the advanced SSH Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Value The value of the advanced Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Option Definition
TCP tab
Use this tab to define advanced TCP Sidewinder Proxy settings for the SSM TCP Proxy. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
TCP Proxy Property The name of the advanced Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Value The value of the advanced Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Option Definition
UDP tab
Use this tab to define advanced Sidewinder Proxy settings for the SSM UDP Proxy. Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row.
UDP Proxy Property The name of the advanced UDP Sidewinder Proxy setting.
Value The value of the advanced Sidewinder Proxy setting.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > Snort

Use this branch to override settings in the global Snort configuration for specific NGFW Engines.

Note: These settings are not supported for Master NGFW Engines or Virtual NGFW Engines.
Option Definition
Enable When selected, enables Snort inspection for the NGFW Engine.
Note: To apply Snort inspection to traffic, you must also create Access rules to select traffic for Snort inspection.
Snort Configuration

(Optional)

 The externally created Snort configuration .zip file that contains the Snort configuration files and rules for Snort inspection.
  • Click Browse to select a file.
  • Click None to remove a previously imported file.
  • Click Export to export the Snort configuration file.

All NGFW Engines for which Snort inspection is enabled use the global Snort configuration by default. If you do not want to override settings in the global Snort configuration, it is not necessary to import a Snort configuration file for an individual NGFW Engine.

Settings in the Snort configuration .zip file for an individual NGFW Engine are combined with the settings in the global Snort configuration .zip file. If any configuration files in a Snort configuration .zip file for an individual NGFW Engine have the same files name and paths as configuration files in the global Snort configuration .zip file, the overlapping files in the global Snort configuration .zip file are ignored.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > ThreatSeeker

Use this branch to select HTTP Proxy elements for the connection to the ThreatSeeker Intelligence Cloud.

Option Definition
Enable When selected, enables ThreatSeeker URL filtering for the engine.
HTTP Proxies

(Optional)

 When specified, requests are sent through an HTTP proxy instead of the engine accessing the external network directly.

Add — Allows you to add an HTTP Proxy to the list.

Remove — Removes the selected HTTP Proxy from the list.

Engine Editor > Add-Ons > OPC UA Inspection

Use this branch to change inspection settings for open platform communications unified architecture (OPC UA). For information about OPC UA, see Knowledge Base article 12491.

Engine Editor > Policies

Use this branch to view information about the policy that is installed.

Engine Editor > Policies > Element-based NAT

Use this branch to add NAT definitions for element-based NAT. The NAT definition is also added to the elements that are included in the NAT configuration.

Option Definition
Use Default NAT Address for Traffic from Internal Networks Select an option to define how the NGFW Engine uses the default NAT address.
  • On — The NGFW Engine always uses the default NAT address as the public IP address if there is not a more specific NAT definition that matches the traffic.
  • Off — The NGFW Engine never uses the default NAT address as the public IP address.
  • Automatic — The NGFW Engine automatically determines whether to use the default NAT address based on the routing configuration. If there are routes that use NetLinks, the NGFW Engine uses the default NAT address as the public IP address if there is not a more specific NAT definition that matches the traffic.

When you select On or Automatic, a NAT rule is generated at the end of the IPv4 or IPv6 NAT rules in the policy.
Show Details Opens the Default NAT Address Properties dialog box.
Add NAT Definition Creates a NAT Definition element and opens the element properties.
Edit NAT Definition Opens the properties of an existing NAT Definition element.
Remove NAT Definition Removes the selected row from the table.

Engine Editor > Policies > Automatic Rules

Use this branch to view a summary of currently used Automatic rules and change general settings for Automatic rules.

Option Definition
To Firewall section

(Firewall/VPN role only)
Allow Traffic to Authentication Ports When Yes is selected, allows traffic to the ports that are used for user authentication.
Allow Traffic from Listening IP Addresses to DNS Relay Port When Yes is selected, allows traffic from clients in the internal network to the standard DNS ports (53/TCP and 53/UDP) on the interfaces that are selected as listening interfaces for DNS relay.
From Firewall section

(Firewall/VPN role only)
Allow Connections to Domain-Specific DNS Servers When Yes is selected, allows connections from the firewall to the domain-specific DNS servers specified in the DNS Relay Profile element that is selected for firewall.
Allow Connections from Local DHCP Relay to Remote DHCP Server When Yes is selected, allows connections from interfaces on which DHCP relay is active to remote DHCP servers.
Note: To relay DHCP messages through a policy-based VPN, you must add specific Access rules to allow the traffic. The Access rules must refer to the correct policy-based VPN.
Log Level for Automatic Rules The log level for traffic that matches automatic rules.
  • None — Does not create any log entry.
  • Alert — Triggers an alert entry.
  • Essential — Creates a log entry that is shown in the Logs view and saved for further use.
  • Stored — Creates a log entry that is stored on the Log Server.
  • Transient — Creates a log entry that is displayed in the Current Events mode in the Logs view (if someone is viewing it) but is not stored.
Alert When the Log Level is set to Alert, specifies the Alert that is sent.
Reset to Default Settings Returns Automatic Rule changes to the default settings.

Engine Editor > Policies > Aliases

Use this branch to view and change alias translation values.

Option Definition
Alias Shows the name of the Alias element.
Value Right-click the Value cell and select one of the following options:
  • Edit Value — Opens the Alias Value Properties dialog box.
  • Set to Any — The Alias element matches any value.
  • Set to None — Disables translation for the Alias element.

Engine Editor > VPN

Use this branch to view the VPN Gateway elements associated with the NGFW Engine, and the VPNs where the VPN Gateway elements are used. You can optionally add more VPN Gateway elements.

Option Definition
Add

(Optional)

 Adds a VPN Gateway element to the NGFW Engine. One VPN Gateway element is automatically created for each NGFW Engine. You can use the same VPN Gateway element in multiple VPNs. You might need to add VPN Gateway elements if you want to use different endpoint IP addresses in different types of VPNs.

Click Remove to remove the selected element.
Endpoints
Enabled When selected, the endpoint IP address is active.
Edit Opens the Properties dialog box for the endpoint.

Engine Editor > VPN > Endpoints

Use this branch to change the endpoint settings that are used when the NGFW Engine acts as a VPN gateway.

Option Definition
Enabled When selected, the endpoint IP address is active.
Name Shows the name of the endpoint. If the endpoint does not have a descriptive name, the IP address of the endpoint is shown.
IP Address Shows the IP address of the endpoint.
Connection Type Defines how the endpoint is used in a Multi-Link configuration.
Options Shows the optional settings that have been selected for the endpoint.
Phase-1 ID Shows the value of the phase-1 ID that identifies the gateway during the IKE phase-1 negotiations.
VPN Type Shows the types of VPNs that the endpoint can be used in.
Edit Allows you to change the properties of the selected endpoint.

Engine Editor > VPN > SSL VPN Portal

Use this branch to change settings for the SSL VPN portal on the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
SSL VPN Portal Shows the SSL VPN Portal element that is selected for the NGFW Engine. Click Select to select an element.
Port

(Optional)

 The port for client connections to the SSL VPN Portal. The default port is 443.
Allowed SSL/TLS Versions The versions of SSL and TLS that are allowed for connections to the SSL VPN Portal.
  • SSL 3.0
  • TLS 1.0
  • TLS 1.1
  • TLS 1.2
TLS Cryptography Suite Set The cryptographic suite for TLS connections to the SSL VPN Portal. Click Select to select an element. Do not change the default setting unless you have a specific reason to do so.

Engine Editor > VPN > Sites

Use this branch to select the protected IP addresses that are behind the gateway.

Option Definition
Add and update IP addresses based on routing When selected, the site content updates automatically according to changes made in the routing configuration for the NGFW Engine (for interfaces that are not disabled).
Note: When the option is not selected, you must manually define the addresses that you want to be routable through the VPN.
Search Opens a search field for the selected list.
Up Navigates up one level in the navigation hierarchy. Not available at the top level of the navigation hierarchy.
Tools
  • New — Creates an element of the specified type.
  • Show Deleted Elements — Shows elements that have been moved to the Trash.
Left pane Shows elements that you can add to the site definition.
Add Adds the selected element to the site content.
Remove Removes the selected element from the site content.
Search Opens a search field for the selected element list.
Up Navigates up one level in the navigation hierarchy. Not available at the top level of the navigation hierarchy.
New Creates an element of the specified type.
Tools
  • Expand All — Expands all levels of the status tree.
  • Collapse All — Collapses all levels of the status tree.
  • Refresh View — Updates the view.
Right pane Allows you to change the IP addresses that are included in the site definition.

Engine Editor > VPN > VPN Client

Use this branch to change settings that are used when the NGFW Engine acts as a VPN Gateway in a mobile VPN.

Option Definition
Gateway Display Name If you want to show a different name for the Gateway to Mobile VPN users, enter the name for the VPN Gateway element.
VPN Type Defines the type of tunnels the mobile VPN supports.
  • IPsec VPN — The mobile VPN only supports IPsec tunnels.
  • SSL VPN — The mobile VPN only supports SSL VPN tunnels.
  • Both IPsec & SSL VPN — The mobile VPN supports IPsec and SSL VPN tunnels.
SSL Port

(When VPN Type is SSL VPN)

The port for SSL VPN tunnels.
TLS Cryptography Suite Set

(When VPN Type is SSL VPN)

The cryptographic suite for SSL VPN tunnels. Click Select to select an element.
Note: Do not change the default setting unless you have a specific reason to do so.
Authentication Timeout

(When VPN Type is SSL VPN)

The timeout for Forcepoint VPN Client user authentication.
Option Definition
Local Security Checks section (Forcepoint VPN Client for Windows only) Defines whether the Forcepoint VPN Client for Windows checks for the presence of basic security software to stop connections from risky computers.
  • Anti-Virus is enabled — Requires anti-virus software to be enabled on the computers of mobile VPN users.
  • Firewall is enabled — Requires firewall software to be enabled on the computers of mobile VPN users.
  • Windows Update is enabled — Requires the Windows Update service to be enabled on the computers of mobile VPN users.
Option Definition
Virtual Address section Options for configuring the Forcepoint VPN Client with virtual IP addresses assigned by a DHCP server for connections inside the VPN.
DHCP Mode Specifies how DHCP requests from VPN clients are sent.
  • Disabled (IPsec VPN type only) — DHCP is not enabled.
  • Direct — When selected, the engine sends a normal DHCP client broadcast message to a DHCP server located in a directly connected network.
    Note: This option is included for backward compatibility with legacy NGFW software versions.
  • Relay — When selected, the engine sends unicast DHCP relay messages for VPN clients’ DHCP requests.
Note: If SSL VPN or Both IPsec & SSL VPN is selected from the VPN Type drop-down list, only the Direct and DHCP Relay are shown.
Interface

(When DHCP Mode is Direct)

The source address for the DHCP packets when querying the DHCP server (the interface toward the DHCP server).
Interface for DHCP Relay

(When DHCP Mode is Relay)

The source address for the DHCP packets when querying the DHCP server (the interface toward the DHCP server).
DHCP Server (NGFW < 5.9)

(When DHCP Mode is Direct)

The DHCP server that assigns IP addresses for the VPN clients.
Note: This option is included for backward compatibility with legacy NGFW software versions.
DHCP Servers

(When DHCP Mode is Relay)

The DHCP server that assigns IP addresses for the VPN clients. Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element.
Add Information

(Optional)

 Specifies what VPN Client user information is added to the Remote ID option field in the DHCP Request packets.
  • Add User Information — When selected, VPN Client user information (in the form user@domain) is automatically added to the Remote ID option field in the DHCP Request packets.
  • Add Group Information — When selected, VPN Client user information (in the form group@domain) is automatically added to the Remote ID option field in the DHCP Request packets.
  • None — When selected, no user or user group information is added to the Remote ID option field in the DHCP Request packets.
Restrict Virtual Address Ranges When selected, the VPN gateway restricts the VPN clients’ addresses to the specified range, even if the DHCP server tries to assign some other IP address. Enter the IP address range in the field on the right.
Proxy ARP When selected, the engine acts as a proxy for the VPN clients’ ARP requests. Enter the IP address range for proxy ARP in the field on the right.
Option Definition
Secondary IPsec VPN Gateways section

(Optional)

(When VPN Type is IPsec VPN)

Other IPsec VPN gateways to contact in case there is a disruption at the IPsec VPN gateway end (in the order of contact). Click Add to add a row to the table, or Remove to remove the selected row. Click Up or Down to move the selected element up or down.

Engine Editor > VPN > Certificates

Use this branch to change settings for automatic certificate management and trusted certificate authorities for VPNs.

Option Definition
Automated RSA Certificate Management When selected, RSA certificates are automatically created and renewed.
Note: Only the default certificate authority is used in automated RSA certificate management.
Trusted VPN Certificate Authorities Restricts which certificate authorities the VPN gateway trusts.
  • Trust all — The VPN gateway trusts all certificate authorities. This option is the default setting.
  • Trust only selected — The VPN gateway trusts only the certificate authorities that you select in the table.

Engine Editor > VPN > Advanced

Use this branch to change advanced VPN settings.

Option Definition
Gateway Settings The Gateway Settings element that defines performance-related VPN options.
Gateway Profile The Gateway Profile in use.
Translate IP Addresses Using NAT Pool When selected, the specified IP address range and port range are used for translating IP addresses of incoming Forcepoint VPN Client connections to internal networks. Enter the ranges in the IP Address Range and Port Range fields.
Note: This option is an alternative to using virtual IP addresses for VPN Clients.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings

Use this branch to change system parameters for the NGFW Engine. These parameters control how the NGFW Engine behaves under certain traffic conditions.

Option Definition
Encrypt Configuration Data By default, the configuration of the NGFW Engine is stored in an encrypted format. Disable the encryption only if instructed to do so by Forcepoint Technical Support.
Disable Application Health Monitoring When selected, the Application Health Monitoring feature is disabled.
Bypass Traffic on Overload

(IPS only)

When selected, the NGFW Engine dynamically reduces the number of inspected connections if the load is too high.

Some traffic might pass through without any access control or inspection if this option is selected. Bypassed traffic is not counted when a possible license throughput limit is enforced. The bypass does not affect traffic subject to TLS Inspection.

If this option is not selected, the NGFW Engine inspects all connections. Some connections might not get through if the IPS engine gets overloaded.

Contact Node Timeout

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

The maximum amount of time the Management Server tries to connect to an NGFW Engine.

A consistently slow network connection might require increasing this value. The default value is 120 seconds.

Note: Setting the timeout value too short or too long can delay or prevent contact between the Management Server and the NGFW Engines.
Auto Reboot Timeout

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

 Specifies the length of time after which an error situation is considered non-recoverable and the NGFW Engine automatically reboots. The default value is 10 seconds. Set to 0 to disable.
Policy Handshake

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

 When selected, the nodes automatically roll back to using the previously installed policy if connectivity is lost after installing a new policy.

Without this feature, you must switch to the previous configuration manually through the boot menu of the NGFW Engine.

Note: We recommend adjusting the timeout (next setting) rather than disabling this feature completely if there is a need to make changes.
Rollback Timeout

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

 The length of time the NGFW Engine waits for a management connection before it rolls back to the previously installed policy when the Policy Handshake option is active. The default value is 60 seconds.
Automated Node Certificate Renewal

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

 When selected, the NGFW Engine's certificate for system communications is automatically renewed before it expires. Otherwise, the certificate must be renewed manually.

Each certificate for system communications is valid for three years. If the certificate expires, other components refuse to communicate with the NGFW Engine.

Note: Does not renew VPN certificates. Automatic certificate renewal for internally signed VPN certificates is set separately in the NGFW Engine's VPN settings.
FIPS-Compatible Operating Mode

(Firewalls only)

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

 When selected, activates a mode that is compliant with the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).
Note: You must also select FIPS-specific settings in the NGFW Configuration Wizard on the command line of the NGFW Engine. For more information, see How to install Forcepoint NGFW in FIPS mode.
Disable Remote Engine Upgrades

(FIPS-Compatible Operating Mode only)

 When selected, remote upgrades for NGFW Engines are disabled in FIPS-compatible operating mode.
Disable sgInfo Creation

(FIPS-Compatible Operating Mode only)

 When selected, creating sgInfo files for NGFW Engines is disabled in FIPS-compatible operating mode.
Number of CPUs Reserved for Control Plane

(Firewalls only)

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

 Select how many CPUs to reserve for control plane operations. In situations where there is exceptionally high traffic, in a denial of service attack, for example, this ensures that you can still monitor and control the NGFW Engine operation.
Note: The reserved CPUs cannot be used for traffic processing. Using fewer CPUs for traffic processing degrades performance.
Isolate Also Interfaces for System Communications

(Firewalls only)

When selected, the reserved CPUs handle the system communications traffic that pass through the Control Interfaces and dedicated primary Heartbeat Interfaces. We recommend that you only use this option when the Physical Interfaces used for system communications do not handle any other traffic.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Traffic Handling

Use this branch to change advanced parameters that control how the NGFW Engine handles traffic.

Option Definition
Layer 3 Connection Tracking Mode

(Firewalls only)

Connection Tracking Mode

(IPS engines and Layer 2 Firewalls only)

When connection tracking is enabled, reply packets are allowed as part of the allowed connection without an explicit Access rule.

You can override this NGFW Engine-specific setting and configure connection tracking for TCP, UDP, and ICMP traffic in Access rules.

  • Normal — The NGFW Engine drops ICMP error messages related to connections that are not currently active in connection tracking. A valid, complete TCP handshake is required for TCP traffic. The NGFW Engine checks the traffic direction and the port parameters of UDP traffic.
  • Strict — The NGFW Engine does not permit TCP traffic to pass through before a complete, valid TCP handshake is performed.
  • Loose — The NGFW Engine allows some connection patterns and address translation operations that are not allowed in the Normal mode. This mode can be used, for example, if routing is asymmetric and cannot be corrected or if the use of dynamic routing protocols causes the NGFW Engine to receive non-standard traffic patterns.
On Firewalls and Layer 2 Firewalls, Normal is the default setting. On IPS engines, Loose is the default setting.
Virtual Defragmenting

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

(Not editable on IPS engines)

When selected, fragmented packets are sent onwards using the same fragmentation as when they arrived at the NGFW Engine.

When the NGFW Engine receives fragmented packets, it defragments the packets for inspection. The original fragments are queued until the inspection is finished. If the option is not selected, the packets are sent onwards as if they had arrived unfragmented.

Strict TCP Mode for Deep Inspection

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

This option is included for backward compatibility with legacy NGFW software versions.
Concurrent Connection Limit

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

A global limit for the number of open connections. When the set number of connections is reached, the NGFW Engine stops the next connection attempts until a previously open connection is closed.
Inspection CPU Balancing Mode

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

Specifies how inspected connections are allocated between the CPUs. Select from the following options:
  • Default — The connection is allocated to the CPU that received the first packet of the connection. If the utilization on the CPU is high, a different CPU is dynamically selected. Incoming and outgoing packets might be handled by different CPUs.
  • Round Robin — Connections are allocated evenly between all CPUs in order. This option can improve CPU balancing when there are a large number of CPUs.
  • NUMA local Round Robin — Connections are balanced within the CPU that received the first packet of the connection. Incoming and outgoing packets are handled by the same CPU.
Active Wait Time Between Inspected Packets

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

Defines how long the inspection process stays active waiting for packets after it has inspected a packet.
  • Short — The inspection process stays active for the minimum amount of time. This setting provides the best CPU performance, but can increase latency in inspection. This is the default setting.
  • Medium — The inspection process stays longer for a moderate amount of time. This setting provides a balance between CPU performance and latency in inspection.
  • Long — The inspection process stays active for the maximum amount of time. This setting provides the lowest latency in inspection, but decreases CPU performance.
Default Connection Termination in Access Policy

(IPS engines and Layer 2 Firewalls only)

Defines how connections that match Access rules with the Discard action are handled.
  • Terminate and Log Connection — Stops the matching connections. This option is the default setting.
  • Only Log Connection — Does not stop the matching connections. Creates a Terminate (passive) log entry for the matching connections. This option is useful for testing which types of connections are stopped.
Default Connection Termination in Inspection Policy Defines how connections that match rules with the Terminate action in the Inspection Policy are handled.
  • Terminate and Log Connection — Stops the matching connections. This option is the default setting.
  • Only Log Connection — Does not stop the matching connections. Creates a Terminate (passive) log entry for the matching connections. This option is useful for testing which types of connections are stopped.
Action When TCP Connection Does Not Start With a SYN Packet

(Not Master NGFW Engines)

The NGFW Engine refuses TCP connections if the TCP connection does not start with a SYN packet, even if the TCP connection matches an Access rule with the Allow action. The NGFW Engine does not send a TCP reset if the TCP connection begins with a TCP reset packet.
  • Discard Silently — The connection is silently dropped.
  • Refuse With TCP Reset — The connection is refused, and a TCP reset packet is returned.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Certificate Validation

Use this branch to specify settings for certificate validation and revocation status checks on the engine. The settings are used for features that have certificate validation and certificate revocation checks enabled.

Note: These settings are not supported for Virtual NGFW Engines.
Option Definition
HTTP Proxy

(Optional)

 When specified, OCSP and CRL lookups are sent through an HTTP proxy instead of the engine accessing the external network directly.
Timeout for OCSP and CRL Lookups The maximum amount of time that the engine tries to connect to the CRL or OCSP server if the connection has failed. The default is 120 seconds.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > SYN Rate Limits

Use this branch to change global SYN rate limits. SYN rate limits reduce the risk of SYN flood attacks.

Option Definition
SYN Rate Limits Limits for SYN packets sent to the NGFW Engine.
  • None — SYN rate limits are disabled.
  • Automatic — The NGFW Engine automatically calculates the Allowed SYNs per Second and Burst Size values for the interface based on the NGFW Engine capacity and memory size.
  • Custom — Enter custom values for Allowed SYNs per Second and Burst Size.
Allowed SYNs per Second

(When SYN Rate Limits is Custom)

The number of allowed SYN packets per second.
Burst Size

(When SYN Rate Limits is Custom)

The number of allowed SYNs before the NGFW Engine starts limiting the SYN rate.
CAUTION:
We recommend setting the Burst Size value to at least one tenth of the Allowed SYNs per Second value. If the burst size is too small, SYN rate limits do not work. For example, if the value for Allowed SYNs per Second is 10000, the Burst Size value must be at least 1000.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Log Handling

Use this branch to change log handling settings for the NGFW Engine. You can use log handling settings to adjust logging when the log spool fills up.

Note: These settings are not supported for Virtual NGFW Engines.
Option Definition
Log Spooling Policy

(Not Virtual NGFW Engines)

Defines what happens when the log spool becomes full.
  • Stop Traffic — The NGFW Engine stops processing traffic and goes offline.
  • Discard Log — Log entries are discarded in four stages, according to available space. Monitoring data is discarded first, followed by log entries marked as Transient and Stored, and finally log entries marked as Essential. The NGFW Engine continues to process traffic.
Log Compression

(Antispoofing Log Event Type for Firewalls only)

The maximum number of separately logged entries. When the defined limit is reached, a single Antispoofing log entry or Discard log entry is logged. The single entry contains information about the total number of the generated Antispoofing log entries or Discard log entries. The individual log entries are deleted. After the single log entry is created, logging returns to normal and all entries are logged and shown separately. Double-click a cell to edit the value.
Note: Do not enable Log Compression if you want all Antispoofing and Discard entries to be logged as separate log entries (for example, for reporting or statistics).
Set to Default Returns Log Compression settings to the default settings.
Store a Copy of Recent Log Files on the NGFW Engine When selected, the NGFW Engine stores copies of logs according to the specified settings.
Maximum Time The maximum length of time for which to store copies of logs. Values can be 1–720 hours (the maximum is 30 days), or not specified. If a value is not specified, the NGFW Engine stores copies of logs until the limits specified in the Guaranteed Free Spool Partition or Guaranteed Free Spool Partition Size options are reached.
Guaranteed Free Spool Partition The minimum percentage of the spool partition that must be kept free. When the amount of free space reaches the limit, the NGFW Engine starts deleting the oldest stored copies of log and alert entries when a new log or alert entry is saved. Values can be 5–80 %, or not specified.
Note: You must enter a value for at least one of the guarantee options. If you enter a value for both options, both limits are enforced.
Guaranteed Free Spool Partition Size The minimum amount of file space, in MB, on the spool partition that must be kept free. When the amount of free space reaches the limit, the NGFW Engine starts deleting the oldest stored copies of log and alert entries when a new log or alert entry is saved. Values can be 50–1000 MB, or not specified.
Note: You must enter a value for at least one of the guarantee options. If you enter a value for both options, both limits are enforced.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Scan Detection

Use this branch to change scan detection settings. You can use scan detection to count the number of connections or connection attempts within a time window and set a threshold after which an alert is generated.

Option Definition
Scan Detection Mode When you enable scan detection, the number of connections or connection attempts within a time window is counted.
  • Disabled — Scan detection is not enabled.
  • Off (Can Be Overridden in Policy) — Scan detection is not enabled, but you can override this setting in individual Access rules. This option is the default setting.
  • On (Can Be Overridden in Policy) — Scan detection is enabled. You can override this setting in individual Access rules if scan detection is not needed or to avoid false positives.
Create a log entry when the system detects section

Allows you to set thresholds for creating log entries. When the specified number of events for the specified time period is exceeded, log entries are created.

The following options are available for each protocol:

  • events in — Specifies the maximum number of events. The default value is 220.
  • Time period field — Specifies the time period. The default value is 1.
  • Time unit drop-down list — Specifies the unit of time. The default value is Minutes.
Log Level Specifies the log level for the log entries.
  • Transient — Creates a log entry that is displayed in the Current Events mode in the Logs view, but is not stored.
  • Stored — Creates a log entry that is stored on the Log Server.
  • Essential — Creates a log entry that is shown in the Logs view and saved for further use.
  • Alert — Triggers the alert you select.
Alert When the Log Level is set to Alert, specifies the Alert that is sent.
Severity When the Log Level is set to Alert, allows you to override the severity defined in the Alert element.
Set to Default Returns Scan Detection changes to the default settings.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > DoS Protection

Use this branch to configure protection that can help prevent Denial of Service (DoS) attacks.

Option Definition
Rate-Based DoS Protection Mode Enables or disables DoS protection, which can help prevent Denial of Service (DoS) attacks.
  • Disabled — DoS protection is not enabled.
  • Off (Can Be Overridden in Policy) — DoS protection is not enabled, but you can override this setting in individual Access rules. This option is the default setting.
  • On (Can Be Overridden in Policy) — DoS protection is enabled. You can override this setting in individual Access rules.
SYN Flood Sensitivity When SYN flood protection is activated, the NGFW Engine acts as a SYN proxy. The engine completes the TCP handshake with the client, and only initiates the connection with the server after the client has completed the TCP handshake.
  • Off — SYN flood protection is not enabled.
  • Low — Allows the most SYN-ACK timeouts before the NGFW Engine requires a full TCP handshake with the client before it communicates with a server.
  • Medium — Allows a medium number of SYN-ACK timeouts before the NGFW Engine requires a full TCP handshake with the client before it communicates with a server. This option is the default setting.
  • High — Allows the fewest SYN-ACK timeouts before the NGFW Engine requires a full TCP handshake with the client before it communicates with a server.
Limit for Half-Open TCP Connections

(Optional)

 Set the maximum number of half-open TCP connections per destination IP address. The minimum is 125, the maximum is 100 000. When the limit is exceeded, the SYN flood protection is activated, and log data is generated.
Slow HTTP Request Sensitivity The NGFW Engine analyzes the data transfer rate and length of time it takes to read the header fields of the HTTP request. If the sender of the request tries to keep the connection open for an unreasonable length of time, the NGFW Engine block lists the sender’s IP address for a specified length of time.
  • Off — Slow HTTP Request Protection is not enabled.
  • Low — Allows the slowest data transfer rate before the block list timeout is applied. This option is the default setting.
  • Medium — Allows a moderately slow data transfer rate before the block list timeout is applied.
  • High — Allows the least slow data transfer rate before the block list timeout is applied.
Slow HTTP Request Block list Timeout The length of time for block listing IP addresses that are suspected of sending malicious traffic. Enter the time in seconds (the default is 300).
TCP Reset Sensitivity When enabled, the NGFW Engine detects the sequence numbers of the TCP RST segments to determine whether it is under a TCP Reset attack. You cannot override this setting in individual Access rules
  • Off — TCP reset protection is not enabled. This option is the default setting.
  • Low — Allows the most TCP reset requests before the NGFW Engine considers itself to be under attack.
  • Medium — Allows a medium number of TCP reset requests before the NGFW Engine considers itself to be under attack.
  • High — Allows the fewest TCP reset requests before the NGFW Engine considers itself to be under attack.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Idle Timeouts

Use this branch to view and change the timeouts for removing idle connections from the state table, including non-TCP communications that are handled like connections.

Option Definition
Timeouts table

Double-click the Timeout(s) cell to change the value. Click Add to add an element to the table, or Remove to remove the selected element. To set the selected protocols and values back to default settings, click Set to Default.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Authentication

Use this branch to configure advanced settings for user authentication.

Option Definition
Default User Domain The default LDAP domain from which the NGFW Engine looks up users.
Note: This setting applies to all user authentication, including browser-based user authentication, VPN clients, and the SSL VPN Portal.
Allow user lookup from known User Domain matching to client certificate email domain or UPN suffix When selected, the NGFW Engine looks up the user from the domain specified in the email address or user principal name before looking up the user in the default domain.
Note: This option is ignored when the value of the Client Certificate Identity Field for TLS option is Distinguished Name.
Client Certificate Identity Field for TLS The attribute that is used to look up the user entry from the user domain when using TLS. The NGFW Engine only uses values from the Active Directory or LDAP server that is associated with the global default LDAP domain or the engine-specific default user domain.
  • User Principal Name — The User Principal Name attribute on the Attributes tab of the Active Directory Server or LDAP Server element is used.
  • Email — The E-mail attribute on the Attributes tab of the Active Directory Server or LDAP Server element is used.
  • Distinguished Name — The specified value in the distinguished name is used.
    Note: If you select Distinguished Name, you must specify the identity search value on the Client Certificate tab of the Active Directory Server or the LDAP Server Properties dialog box.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Tunneling

Use this branch to change the packet tunneling settings for the engine.

Option Definition
Limit for Rematching Tunneled Traffic Specifies how many times the contents of tunneled packets can be rematched against the IPv6 Access rules or IPv4 Access rules when several layers of tunneling are encountered. The default is 1. When the limit is reached, the action defined in the Action if Limit is Exceeded setting is taken.
Action if Limit is Exceeded Specifies whether remaining encapsulated packets inside the tunneling packet are allowed without further inspection or discarded. The default is to discard the remaining packets. When this action is triggered, you are notified according to the Log Level setting.
Log Level Specifies whether you are notified through a normal (stored) log entry or an Alert when the limit for rematching tunneled traffic is reached.
Alert If you selected Alert as the Log Level, select the Alert element that is used when an event triggers an alert. The Alert elements can be used for matching in Alert Policies. Click Select to select an element.
Set to Default Returns Tunneling changes to the default settings.

Engine Editor > Advanced Settings > Custom Properties Profiles

Use this branch to enable a custom properties profile for the NGFW Engine.

Option Definition
Custom Properties Profiles list Shows the selected custom properties profiles.

Click Add to add an element to the list, or Remove to remove the selected element.