Managing access to websites and protecting users from harmful content is crucial in educational settings, where cybersecurity is a top priority. Schools and higher education institutions need to ensure a secure online environment for their students and faculty. Traditionally, on-site web filtering appliances have been used for this purpose.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) Network Firewall offers a solution for filtering outbound web traffic from on-premises environments based on fully qualified domain names (FQDN) or Server Name Indication (SNI) for encrypted traffic. Managed rule groups in AWS can block access to known malware and botnet threats, with rules automatically updating as new vulnerabilities arise.
This guide details how to use AWS Client VPN to route and filter traffic through Network Firewall, highlighting the architecture of the solution with a single VPC deployed across two Availability Zones. The architecture includes three subnets in each Availability Zone – client, network firewall filter, and protected subnets. Traffic flows from on-premises users through the Client VPN endpoint to Network Firewall before reaching the Internet Gateway.
The configuration involves creating a VPC, updating route tables, setting up Network Firewall and firewall endpoints, as well as configuring firewall policies and rule groups for filtering outbound traffic. The Stateful Rule Groups focus on blocking specific domains while allowing other traffic based on predefined rules.
After the setup is complete, testing outbound filtering is essential to ensure the solution is working effectively. Users can verify the routing of traffic and test domain filtering rules using curl commands to check connectivity to specified domains.
Finally, to avoid ongoing charges, it’s advised to clean up resources that were created during the setup, including the Client VPN endpoint, Network Firewall components, internet gateway, NAT gateways, subnets, and route tables.
In conclusion, AWS Network Firewall offers a robust solution for outbound web filtering and stateful packet filtering to protect users and resources. By utilizing AWS managed rule groups alongside custom filtering configurations, organizations can enhance their cybersecurity posture in educational environments. Automatic updates of managed rule groups keep security measures current in the face of evolving threats, making AWS Network Firewall a valuable tool for maintaining a secure online experience for students and staff.
Article Source
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/publicsector/web-filtering-for-education-using-aws-network-firewall/