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FirewallsMedium priority

Review firewall rules on your business router

Check that only necessary ports are open on your business network router. Close any ports that are not required.

Why this matters

Open ports are entry points for attackers. Reducing the number of open ports shrinks your attack surface significantly.

How to do it

  1. Log in to your business router admin panel
  2. Review the port forwarding and firewall rules
  3. Remove any rules that are no longer needed
  4. Block inbound connections on all ports except those explicitly required
  5. Document the changes and the reason for each open port

Cyber Essentials framework

This task falls under the Firewallscontrol — one of five areas assessed in the UK's Cyber Essentials scheme. Completing it counts toward your Cyber Essentials alignment.

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