What are the four phases of the ruleset journey?

The four phases of the ruleset journey are categorized as No Solution, Deny, Exception: Deny, and Allow Rules Only. This framework is designed to effectively manage network security and traffic flow within an organization's environment.

In the first phase, "No Solution," there is no established security rule set in place, meaning that the system is essentially left open and unprotected. As organizations begin to understand their security needs, they transition to the next phase, "Deny." Here, default deny rules are implemented to restrict traffic that does not have explicit permission, enhancing security by limiting access to only those necessary.

The third phase, "Exception: Deny," allows for specific exceptions to be made to the deny rule. This is crucial because while the overall policy is restrictive, there may be legitimate cases where exceptions are required for certain applications or communications to function.

Finally, in the "Allow Rules Only" phase, the focus shifts to defining what is expressly allowed within the environment. This means that only the traffic that has been explicitly permitted is allowed through, which further sharpens the security posture and helps organizations manage their risk effectively.

This sequence emphasizes a strategic and structured approach to creating and refining rulesets, ultimately leading to a more secure and well-go