firewall
Network security system blocking traffic
A tool (hardware or software) that checks and blocks network traffic to keep a computer or network safe from hackers and other online attacks.
install [a firewall] on [a computer/network]
- The company installed a new firewall to protect its servers from cyberattacks.
- Make sure your firewall is turned on before connecting to public Wi‑Fi.
- The IT team updated the firewall rules to block suspicious IP addresses.
- A misconfigured firewall can accidentally block legitimate traffic to your website.
- Most home routers now include a built-in firewall for basic protection.
- You should use a firewall on your computer at home.
- The firewall blocks bad traffic from the internet.
- Our office has a firewall to keep our data safe.
- He asked IT to check the firewall settings.
- My laptop firewall stopped a dangerous program.
Fire-resistant wall in a structure
A strong wall made with special materials that stops a fire from moving from one part of a building or vehicle to another part.
build [a firewall] between [areas]
- Building codes require a firewall between the garage and the main house.
- A concrete firewall separates the two apartment blocks to slow the spread of any fire.
- The architect added a firewall to meet new safety regulations.
- The warehouse is divided by firewalls to protect different storage areas.
- The car’s firewall protects the passenger cabin from engine fires.
- The house has a firewall between the kitchen and the garage.
- They built a firewall to make the building safer.
- A firewall can stop a fire from moving to the next room.
- There is a firewall between the two apartments.
- The factory must have a firewall by law.
Barrier separating groups or activities
A strong rule or separation that stops information or power from moving between two groups, usually to avoid a conflict of interest or unfair influence.
create [a firewall] between [activities/groups]
- Editors insist on a strict firewall between the news and advertising departments.
- The new regulations aim to create a firewall between investment banking and retail banking.
- We need a policy firewall to separate political donations from policy decisions.
- The company maintains a firewall between its research team and its sales staff to protect sensitive data.
- The ethics committee recommended a stronger firewall between the board and the audit team.
- There should be a firewall between money and politics.
- The company created a firewall between sales and research.
- They want a legal firewall between these two business areas.
- The newspaper keeps a firewall between news and ads.
- The rules build a firewall between personal and work interests.
- Base: firewall
- Plural: firewalls
behind the firewall
1Inside a protected internal network
Inside a private company or organization network that is protected by a firewall and not open to the public internet.
- The internal dashboard is only available behind the firewall.
- Employees can access the file server from home, but only after connecting to the VPN behind the firewall.
firewall off
1Isolate a system using a firewall
To use a firewall to separate a computer or part of a network so it cannot be reached easily from other networks.
- We decided to firewall off the legacy servers from the main network.
- Sensitive lab equipment should be firewalled off from the corporate network to reduce risk.
outside the firewall
1On the public internet, not internal
On the open internet, not inside a company’s protected internal network.
- The website needs to be accessible to users outside the firewall.
- Services that store sensitive data are never exposed outside the firewall.