Misconfiguration, not zero-days, causes most breaches. Our configuration review audits firewalls, servers and network devices against hardening benchmarks and least-privilege principles to remove the quiet weaknesses attackers rely on.
We review rule-bases for overly permissive access, validate segmentation between zones, and deliver a prioritized hardening plan.
Our firewall and configuration review audits your rule-bases and device settings against CIS Benchmarks and least-privilege principles. We identify overly permissive and any-any rules, stale entries, exposed management planes, weak segmentation between zones and gaps in logging — then deliver a prioritized hardening roadmap. Because this is a white-box review of the actual configuration, it finds the quiet misconfigurations that a black-box test might never reach.
Why it matters
Most breaches trace back to misconfiguration, not zero-days, and firewalls quietly accumulate overly permissive rules as businesses change. A single any-any rule or forgotten exception can undermine an entire security architecture.
A firewall and configuration review audits your rule-bases and device settings against hardening benchmarks and least-privilege principles, removing the quiet weaknesses attackers rely on.
What we test
- Firewall rule-base & any-any audit
- Network segmentation & zoning review
- CIS benchmark configuration gaps
- Management-plane exposure
- Logging & monitoring coverage
- Least-privilege access validation
Common vulnerabilities we uncover
- Overly permissive and any-any rules
- Weak network segmentation and zoning
- Exposed management interfaces
- Missing logging and monitoring
- Insecure default configurations
- Unused and stale firewall rules
Our Firewall & Configuration Review methodology
- Scoping & rules of engagement. We agree objectives, targets and boundaries for your firewall & configuration review, so testing is safe, authorized and focused on what matters to your business.
- Reconnaissance & mapping. We enumerate the full attack surface in scope, building a complete picture before any exploitation begins.
- Manual exploitation. Our senior testers chain vulnerabilities by hand — going far beyond automated scanners — to prove real, demonstrable impact.
- Analysis & reporting. Every finding is triaged, risk-rated with CVSS and written up with a copy-paste reproduction and clear remediation.
- Remediation support & free retest. We support your team through the fixes and retest the remediated issues to confirm they are genuinely closed.
Tools & techniques
We perform a structured, benchmark-driven review of exported device configurations against CIS Benchmarks and least-privilege principles. We analyze rule-bases for overly permissive and stale entries, map zoning and segmentation, review management-plane exposure and logging coverage, and produce a prioritized hardening roadmap. Because it is a white-box review, it finds gaps a black-box test would never reach.
When you need Firewall & Configuration Review
- To reduce attack surface through configuration hardening
- Before an audit or compliance assessment
- After firewall migrations or major rule-base changes
- When rule-bases have grown complex and hard to audit
What you receive
- Rule-base and config findings
- Prioritized hardening roadmap
- Benchmark compliance gap analysis
- Re-review of applied changes
What’s included in your report
Every firewall & configuration review engagement concludes with a comprehensive, board-ready report and a working session to walk your team through it. Your report includes:
- An executive summary with overall risk posture for non-technical stakeholders
- Detailed technical findings, each with a step-by-step, copy-paste reproduction
- CVSS v3.1 severity ratings and business-impact context for every issue
- Prioritized, actionable remediation guidance your engineers can apply directly
- A complimentary retest to confirm fixes and update finding status
- A formal attestation letter for customers, auditors and compliance programs
Standards & frameworks
CIS Benchmarks
NIST SP 800-41
ISO 27001 controls
Outcomes you can expect
After your firewall & configuration review, you will have clear, evidence-based visibility into your real security risk — not a scanner’s guesswork. You will know exactly which weaknesses an attacker could exploit, what the business impact would be, and the precise steps to fix them in priority order. Teams use our findings to close critical gaps, satisfy customer and regulator security requirements, and demonstrate due diligence to their board. With a complimentary retest included, you also get documented proof that the issues are genuinely resolved.
Engagement details & logistics
Every firewall & configuration review starts with a short, no-obligation scoping call to understand your goals, environment and constraints, followed by a fixed-price proposal and a clear statement of work. Most engagements are delivered fully remotely, with on-site work arranged where it genuinely adds value. Throughout testing we maintain an agreed communication cadence and escalate any critical, high-impact finding to you immediately rather than waiting for the final report. All work is performed under a signed NDA with strict data-handling controls, using safe, non-disruptive techniques and carefully coordinated rules of engagement to protect your production systems. On completion you receive your report and a walkthrough session, followed by a complimentary retest once your fixes are in place. Typical engagements are booked one to three weeks in advance, and urgent or pre-deadline testing can often be accommodated — just ask at hi@agentoffense.com.
Why organizations choose AgentOffense for Firewall & Configuration Review
Our firewall & configuration review is delivered by senior offensive-security engineers who test the way real attackers do — manually, creatively and with a relentless focus on proving genuine, demonstrable impact. Here is what sets our engagements apart:
- Manual, exploit-driven testing that chains vulnerabilities the way a real attacker would, going far beyond what automated scanners can find.
- Reproducible proof for every finding, with copy-paste reproduction steps your engineers can follow and independently verify.
- Honest severity calibration so you invest in fixing what genuinely matters and avoid wasting effort on false positives and noise.
- Clear, business-focused reporting that speaks to engineers and executives alike, tying every issue to real-world impact.
- A complimentary retest included, so you get documented proof that your fixes actually close the attack path.
- Responsible, collaborative delivery with a named point of contact and secure handling of all data throughout the engagement.
Explore related services
Firewall & Configuration Review is frequently scoped alongside our other offensive-security services for broader coverage. Explore related engagements that complement it:
Frequently asked questions
Is a configuration review the same as a penetration test?
No — it's a complementary white-box audit. A pentest attacks from outside; a config review inspects the settings directly to find gaps before they're exploited.
Which firewalls and platforms do you review?
Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, Check Point, cloud security groups and most enterprise network platforms.
How do you receive our configurations?
Via sanitized config exports shared through a secure channel under NDA — no live access required.
How do you receive our configurations?
Via sanitized configuration exports shared through a secure channel under NDA — no live access to devices is required.
Which platforms do you review?
Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, Check Point, cloud security groups and most enterprise network platforms.
Do you need live access to our firewalls?
No — we work from sanitized configuration exports shared through a secure channel under NDA.
How is this different from a penetration test?
A configuration review inspects the settings directly to find gaps; a penetration test attacks from outside. They are complementary.
How long does a firewall review take?
Typically a few days to two weeks depending on the number of devices and rule-base complexity.
Which vendors and platforms do you support?
Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, Check Point, cloud security groups and most enterprise network platforms.