Inbound rules

Overview

This page displays all the inbound rules. You can search and add rules.

What are Inbound rules? - FAQ

Inbound rules, in the context of security groups or firewalls, refer to the set of rules that control incoming network traffic to a system or network. These rules specify what types of connections are allowed or denied based on predefined criteria, such as source IP address, destination IP address, port number, and protocol.

Inbound rules are an important component of network security as they determine what traffic is permitted to enter a system or network and what traffic is blocked. By defining inbound rules, organizations can enforce their security policies and protect their systems from unauthorized access, malicious activities, and potential security threats.

In the context of cloud computing environments, inbound rules are commonly used in security groups to control incoming traffic to virtual machines (VMs) and other cloud resources. Administrators can configure inbound rules to allow specific types of traffic, such as HTTP (port 80) or SSH (port 22) while blocking other types of traffic based on their security requirements.

Both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are allowed in the "Source IP" field.

Valid Examples of IPv6 addresses:

• 2001:0db8:0000:0000:0000:0000:1428:57ab
• 2001:db8::1428:57ab
• ::1
• fe80::abcd:1234
• 2001:db8::/32

Invalid Examples of IPv6 addresses:

• 2001:::1 (multiple ::)
• 2001:db8:xyz::1 (invalid hex digits)
• 2001:db8:12345::1 (group too long, >4 hex chars)
• 2001:db8::1/129 (prefix out of range)

Some common configurations for inbound rules include:

1. Allowing traffic from specific IP addresses or IP address ranges: This can be used to restrict incoming traffic to known and trusted sources.
2. Specifying allowed protocols and ports: For example, allowing only TCP traffic on port 443 for HTTPS or port 22 for SSH.
3. Defining custom rules: Administrators can define custom inbound rules based on their specific needs, such as allowing traffic for a particular application or service.
4. Denying all traffic by default: In some security configurations, all incoming traffic is denied by default, and only explicitly allowed traffic is permitted.

All traffic is allowed if the “Source IP” is set to 0.0.0.0/0

It's essential to carefully configure and manage inbound rules to ensure that only legitimate and necessary traffic is allowed into a system or network, and potential security risks are minimized. Regular reviews and updates of inbound rules based on changing security requirements are also recommended to maintain an effective security posture.