Introduction to BRKSEC-2828.pdf Software
This technical document serves as Cisco’s authoritative reference for implementing advanced policy management and security controls on next-generation firewalls. Originally presented at Cisco Live 2023, BRKSEC-2828 provides system administrators with critical insights into optimizing access control policies for Cisco Secure Firewall platforms including 3100/4100/4200/9300 series.
The guide addresses modern network security challenges through detailed explanations of policy inheritance models, multi-domain management strategies, and performance optimization techniques. It specifically supports firewall administrators working with Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) 7.0+ and Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) OS 9.16+ environments.
Key Features and Improvements
1. Enhanced Policy Management Framework
- Introduces hierarchical policy inheritance for distributed firewall deployments
- Implements mandatory vs. default rule processing logic for multi-domain environments
- Enables object overrides for network groups/VLAN tags across security zones
2. Security Performance Optimization
- Details prefilter policy configurations for traffic bypassing IPS/AV inspection
- Provides rule-ordering best practices achieving 2X faster threat blocking
- Supports ECMP routing configurations with BFD monitoring for HA clusters
3. Enterprise-Grade Scalability
- Documents support for 1,024 management domains in multi-tenant deployments
- Enables 16-node clustering configurations on 9300 series firewalls
- Validates 200Gbps TLS decryption throughput on 4245 models
4. Operational Visibility Enhancements
- Integrates NetFlow Secure Event Logging (NSEL) for traffic analysis
- Implements health monitoring thresholds for Snort inspection engines
Compatibility and Requirements
| Supported Hardware | Software Requirements | Management Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Secure Firewall 3100 | FTD 7.2+ ASA OS 9.18.4+ |
Firepower Management Center 7.2+ |
| Secure Firewall 4100 | FTD 7.4+ ASA OS 9.20.1+ |
Cisco Defense Orchestrator 2.15+ |
| Secure Firewall 4200 | FTD 7.6+ ASA OS 9.22.3+ |
Cisco Security Manager 4.22+ |
| Secure Firewall 9300 | FTD 7.8+ | — |
Known Compatibility Considerations
- Requires minimum 256GB RAM for full TLS 1.3 inspection on 4200 series
- Cluster configurations unsupported with mixed ASA/FTD software versions
- Object override feature incompatible with legacy FireSIGHT Management Center
Accessing the Technical Guide
Network professionals can obtain BRKSEC-2828.pdf through Cisco’s official documentation portal or authorized training partners. For immediate access, visit https://www.ioshub.net to request the complete technical brief. The document retains its original formatting with Cisco’s proprietary security watermarking to ensure authenticity.
This guide remains essential for organizations implementing Zero Trust architectures or upgrading to Cisco’s latest firewall platforms. Its policy management methodologies align with NIST SP 800-207 standards while maintaining backward compatibility with existing rule sets.
