Your FortiGate firewall is a powerful shield for your network, a cornerstone of your cybersecurity defense. But are you certain it’s configured for maximum protection? In the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, a default or “set-it-and-forget-it” approach to firewall management is a significant risk. The complexity of an optimal setup requires deep expertise and continuous attention.

This is where a FortiGate managed service becomes a game-changer. It provides the expert oversight needed to transform your firewall from a simple barrier into an intelligent, proactive defense system. For businesses without a large, dedicated security team, it’s the most effective way to ensure robust protection.

This article explores the top five critical FortiGate configurations that are best entrusted to a certified managed service provider (MSP), ensuring your network is not just protected, but truly secure.

First, What is a FortiGate Managed Service? (And Why It Matters)

A FortiGate managed service is an offering where a third-party team of certified cybersecurity experts takes responsibility for the 24/7 monitoring, management, and maintenance of your FortiGate firewalls. Think of it as having a team of elite Fortinet specialists guarding your digital front door around the clock.

The core benefits extend beyond simple device management:

  • Proactive Threat Hunting: Continuous monitoring for suspicious activity.
  • Expert Configuration: Implementation of security best practices.
  • Regular Maintenance: Crucial firmware updates and performance tuning.
  • Peace of Mind: Knowing your network is protected by industry professionals.

By leveraging an MSP, you gain access to a level of expertise that is difficult and expensive to maintain in-house, allowing you to focus on your core business operations.

The Top 5 Critical FortiGate Configurations for Your Business Security

A managed service doesn’t just watch over your firewall; they unlock its most powerful features. Here are five key configurations they expertly handle to fortify your defenses.

1. Advanced Firewall Policies and Rule Optimization

A firewall’s strength lies in its rules. A poorly configured rule set can leave gaping holes in your defense. A managed service moves beyond basic “allow” and “deny” rules to implement a strategy of least privilege access.

  • What it is: This involves a meticulous review of all firewall policies to ensure that users, devices, and applications only have the absolute minimum level of access required to perform their functions. It includes optimizing rule order for performance and properly configuring Network Address Translation (NAT).
  • Why it’s critical: A cluttered or overly permissive rule set is a common vector for attack. An attacker who compromises a low-level user account could gain broad access to sensitive parts of the network if policies are not restrictive.
  • The MSP Value: Certified engineers continuously audit and refine firewall rules. They remove outdated or redundant policies, ensure new rules are implemented securely, and document everything, which is crucial for performance, security, and compliance audits.

2. Unified Threat Management (UTM) Security Profile Hardening

Modern FortiGate firewalls are equipped with a powerful suite of security features known as Unified Threat Management (UTM). Simply turning them on is not enough; they must be precisely tuned.

  • What it is: This is the fine-tuning of the integrated security profiles that make up Fortinet’s Security Fabric. This includes:
    • Antivirus: Configuring real-time scanning of traffic entering the network.
    • Web Filtering: Blocking access to malicious websites, phishing links, and enforcing company acceptable-use policies.
    • Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Proactively identifying and blocking known cyberattack patterns and exploits before they can do damage.
    • Application Control: Granularly managing which applications (like Dropbox, Teams, or social media) are allowed to run on the network and by whom.
  • Why it’s critical: UTM features are your primary defense against malware, ransomware, and other advanced threats. If they are not properly configured, malicious files can slip through, and productivity can be impacted.
  • The MSP Value: A managed service has the expertise to configure these profiles without disrupting legitimate business traffic. They ensure signatures and threat intelligence are constantly updated, applying new protections as soon as they become available to defend against zero-day threats.

3. Secure VPN Access (SSL-VPN and IPsec)

In an era of hybrid work, providing secure remote access is non-negotiable. A misconfigured VPN is like leaving a back door unlocked.

  • What it is: This involves the proper setup and hardening of both SSL-VPNs, which allow individual remote employees to connect securely, and IPsec VPNs, which create secure tunnels between office locations.
  • Why it’s critical: VPNs extend your secure network perimeter to wherever your employees are. A weak configuration can expose your entire internal network to threats if a remote user’s device is compromised.
  • The MSP Value: An MSP will implement robust security on your VPNs, enforcing strong encryption standards, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for access, and configuring split-tunneling policies correctly to ensure that all business traffic is inspected, no matter where the user is.

4. Robust User Authentication and Identity Management

Knowing who is on your network is as important as keeping threats out. Strong authentication ensures that only authorized individuals can access your data and systems.

  • What it is: This configuration focuses on integrating the FortiGate firewall with your company’s directory services, such as Microsoft Active Directory or Azure AD. It involves setting up Single Sign-On (SSO) and, most importantly, enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
  • Why it’s critical: Stolen credentials are one of the most common ways attackers breach a network. MFA is the single most effective defense against this, adding a crucial layer of security that prevents unauthorized access even if a password is compromised.
  • The MSP Value: A managed service handles the complex integration between your FortiGate and identity providers. They can roll out and manage MFA across your user base for firewall and VPN access, ensuring a seamless yet highly secure user experience and providing detailed logs of who is accessing what and when.

5. Proactive Monitoring, Logging, and Firmware Management

The cybersecurity landscape is never static. A firewall requires constant vigilance and maintenance to remain effective.

  • What it is: This is the ongoing, day-to-day work of security. It involves centralizing firewall logs for analysis (often with a tool like FortiAnalyzer), setting up alerts for suspicious events, and methodically testing and applying critical firmware updates released by Fortinet.
  • Why it’s critical: Without comprehensive logging, you have no way of knowing if your firewall is under attack or has been breached. Firmware updates often contain patches for critical vulnerabilities that attackers are actively exploiting. Falling behind on updates is one of the biggest and most common security risks.
  • The MSP Value: This is where an MSP truly shines. Their 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) provides the constant monitoring and expert analysis that is impossible for most businesses to replicate. They manage the entire lifecycle of firmware updates—from vetting and testing to scheduled deployment—ensuring your defenses are always up-to-date without causing business disruption.

Partner with Experts to Maximize Your Security

Your FortiGate firewall is a critical investment in your company’s security. By entrusting its configuration and management to a specialized managed service provider, you ensure that investment yields the highest possible return. You gain not only a hardened security posture but also the freedom to focus on what you do best—running your business.

Is your FortiGate firewall configured for complete protection?

Contact us today for a complimentary security assessment. Our certified Fortinet experts will help you understand your current security posture and identify opportunities to strengthen your defenses.