IT Firewall Policy Agreement

IT FIREWALL POLICY AGREEMENT

This IT Firewall Policy Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of by and between Service Provider Name: with principal place of business at , and Client Name: with principal place of business at .

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Service Provider maintains and operates network firewall infrastructure and provides configuration, monitoring, and change management services for the protection of Client network assets; and

WHEREAS, Client requires that such firewall infrastructure be configured, monitored, and managed in accordance with the controls, standards, and procedures set forth in this Agreement to reduce unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and other network security risks; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to set forth their respective obligations, performance standards, reporting requirements, and remedies with respect to the firewall policies and operation.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

1. DEFINITIONS

1.1 "Firewall" means any hardware or software device configured to permit, deny, encrypt, decrypt, or inspect network traffic as set forth in the configuration rules attached or referenced in this Agreement. "Configuration Change" means any modification to firewall rules, NAT, routing, or related security settings. "Administrator" means the individual(s) designated by Service Provider with authority to implement configuration changes.

2. PURPOSE AND SCOPE

2.1 Purpose. The purpose of this Agreement is to define minimum standards and operational responsibilities for the configuration, monitoring, and maintenance of the Firewall protecting Client systems and data.

2.2 Scope. This Agreement applies to all firewalls listed below and any successor devices replacing listed devices while under Service Provider management. Listed devices and logical identifiers:

3. FIREWALL CONFIGURATION STANDARDS

3.1 Baseline Rule Set. Service Provider shall implement and maintain a written baseline rule set that implements a default-deny posture for inbound connections and permits only expressly authorized traffic. Baseline controls shall include but are not limited to: stateful inspection, explicit permit/deny rules, and network address translation where required.

3.2 Hardening. All firewall administrative interfaces shall be accessible only from authorized management networks and secured using multi-factor authentication where available. Unused services and default accounts shall be disabled or removed.

4. CHANGE CONTROL AND APPROVAL

4.1 Change Requests. All Configuration Changes must be initiated by a written change request containing scope, justification, rollback plan, and proposed implementation window. Service Provider shall not implement non-emergency changes without Client written approval.

4.2 Emergency Changes. Emergency changes necessary to mitigate active threats or outages may be implemented immediately by Service Provider, provided Service Provider documents the change, the reason for emergency treatment, and notifies Client within twenty-four (24) hours following implementation.

5. ACCESS CONTROL AND AUTHENTICATION

5.1 Administrative Access. Administrative access to firewall systems shall be limited to authorized personnel. Accounts must be individual (not shared) where technically feasible, provisioned via documented procedures, and revoked promptly upon termination of access requirements.

6. LOGGING, MONITORING, AND REPORTING

6.1 Logging Requirements. Service Provider shall capture and retain logs of configuration changes, administrative access, denied inbound connections, and other security-relevant events. Log retention period: days. Logs shall be retained in a manner suitable for forensic review and regulatory compliance.

6.2 Monitoring and Alerts. Service Provider will monitor firewall events continuously and shall implement alerting for high-risk events as mutually agreed in the attached alerting matrix.

7. INCIDENT RESPONSE

7.1 Incident Handling. In the event of a security incident related to firewall operations, Service Provider shall take immediate measures to contain and mitigate the incident, preserve evidence, and cooperate with Client in incident investigation. The parties shall adhere to the timelines and responsibilities set forth in the incident response plan.

8. COMPLIANCE, AUDIT, AND REPORTING

8.1 Audit Rights. Client may audit Service Provider's compliance with this Agreement upon reasonable prior written notice and during normal business hours. Service Provider shall provide documentation, logs, and access necessary to verify compliance, subject to confidentiality protections.

9. CONFIDENTIALITY

9.1 All non-public information exchanged in connection with this Agreement, including firewall configurations, logs, and incident data, shall be treated as Confidential Information and protected from unauthorized disclosure. The receiving party shall use at least the same degree of care to protect Confidential Information as it uses to protect its own similar information, but in no event less than reasonable care.

10. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

10.1 Except for breaches of confidentiality or willful misconduct, neither party shall be liable to the other for indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits. Service Provider's aggregate liability for direct damages arising from this Agreement shall not exceed the fees paid by Client to Service Provider for the three (3) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

11. TERM AND TERMINATION

11.1 Term. This Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and continue for a period of months, and shall renew automatically for successive renewal terms of months unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least days prior to the end of the then-current term.

11.2 Termination for Cause. Either party may terminate this Agreement for material breach by the other party if the breach remains uncured thirty (30) days after written notice, provided that material breaches relating to security incidents may be subject to expedited cure periods.

12. NOTICES

12.1 All notices required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses below by certified mail, overnight courier, or email (provided that email shall be followed by a mailed copy when required by the receiving party).

13. AMENDMENTS; WAIVER

13.1 This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument signed by authorized representatives of both parties. No failure or delay by either party to exercise any right shall constitute a waiver of that right.

14. GOVERNING LAW; VENUE

14.1 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state specified below, without regard to conflict of law principles. The parties agree that exclusive venue for any dispute shall be the federal or state courts located in the county identified below.

15. ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SEVERABILITY; COUNTERPARTS

15.1 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with any attachments and schedules expressly incorporated herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, and negotiations.

15.2 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and the invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid provision that most closely effects the parties' intent.

15.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Signatures transmitted by electronic image shall be binding.

ATTACHMENTS AND SCHEDULES

The parties agree to the following attachments which are incorporated by reference: (a) Baseline Rule Set; (b) Alerting Matrix; (c) Incident Response Plan; (d) Change Request Procedure. Indicate any deviations or special instructions below.

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