difference between stateful inspection and packet flow

[Ranjeett_Ranjan]

difference between stateful inspection and packet flow

[_Val_]

Hi Ranjeett, Stateful Inspection is a major part of the packet from through a Security Gateway, but there are some other operations there too.

More details here: https://community.checkpoint.com/docs/DOC-3061-security-gateway-packet-flow-and-acceleration-with-di... 

[Jerry]

vague question   Stateful vs. Stateless FW is the answer:

A Stateful firewall is aware of the connections that pass through it. It adds and maintains information about a user's connections in a state table, referred to as a connection table. It then uses this connection table to implement the security policies for users connections. An example of the stateful firewall is PIX, ASA, Check Point.

Stateless firewalls - (Packet Filtering) Stateless firewalls, on the other hand, does not look at the state of connections but just at the packets themselves. An example of a packet filtering firewall is the Extended Access Control Lists on Cisco IOS Routers.

ps. sorry for the joke at the begining but I couldnt help it

[_Val_]

I took the question in the Check Point context exclusively. But thanks for helping, it might be we need a wider aspect.

[Jerry]

as my good mate (Daniel Lavi) from your PS said "simple answers are the most difficult to find"  

[G_W_Albrecht]

Should that just be expressed as: Difference in packet flow when using statefull inspection ?

[_Val_]

Let's wait for topic starter to reply on this

[siva_velu]

Hi All,

If we disable the secure XL, Checkpoint firewall will act as stateless? Could you Pls confirm 

The reason I am asking if we disable the secureXL all the packets will pass thorough the F2F layer so gateway doesn’t not have any cache/rememberance about connections state

[_Val_]

Forgive me harsh words, but this is nonsense. Check Point firewall is always stateful, with or without acceleration. 

Please refer to CP4B section of this forum and read Principles article there for more details