firewall machine

2 definitions found

firewall machine - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  firewall machine
  flytrap
  
     <networking> A dedicated gateway machine with special security
     precautions on it, used to service outside network, especially
     Internet, connections and dial-in lines.  The idea is to
     protect a cluster of more loosely administered machines hidden
     behind it from crackers.  The typical firewall is an
     inexpensive microprocessor-based Unix machine with no
     critical data, with modems and public network ports on it, but
     just one carefully watched connection back to the rest of the
     cluster.  The special precautions may include threat
     monitoring, call-back, and even a complete iron box
     keyable to particular incoming IDs or activity patterns.
  
     Firewalls often run proxy gateways.
  
     Synonym flytrap, Venus flytrap.
  
     (1997-06-08)
  

firewall machine - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  firewall machine
   n.
  
     A dedicated gateway machine with special security precautions on it,
     used to service outside network connections and dial-in lines. The
     idea is to protect a cluster of more loosely administered machines
     hidden behind it from crackers. The typical firewall is an
     inexpensive micro-based Unix box kept clean of critical data, with a
     bunch of modems and public network ports on it but just one carefully
     watched connection back to the rest of the cluster. The special
     precautions may include threat monitoring, callback, and even a
     complete iron box keyable to particular incoming IDs or activity
     patterns. Syn. flytrap, Venus flytrap. See also wild side.
  
     [When first coined in the mid-1980s this term was pure jargon. Now
     (1999) it is techspeak, and has been retained only as an example of
     uptake --ESR]