Understanding Cloud-Native Security Models

Cloud firewall solutions differ fundamentally from traditional on-premises firewalls in their architecture and capabilities. Rather than physical appliances or software running on dedicated servers, cloud firewalls exist as managed services integrated into the cloud provider's infrastructure. This integration enables features impossible with traditional firewalls: instant scaling to handle traffic spikes, automatic failover across availability zones, and API-driven management that supports infrastructure as code practices.

The shared responsibility model defines security boundaries in cloud environments. Cloud providers secure the underlying infrastructure—physical servers, networks, and hypervisors—while customers remain responsible for securing their workloads, including configuring firewall rules appropriately. Understanding this division is crucial for implementing effective security. Cloud firewalls operate at your responsibility boundary, controlling traffic to and from your resources while leveraging the provider's infrastructure for performance and availability.

Cloud firewalls typically operate at multiple layers simultaneously. Network-level controls like security groups and network ACLs provide basic packet filtering. Application-level services such as Web Application Firewalls offer content inspection and threat detection. Edge services including CDNs often incorporate DDoS protection and geographic filtering. This layered approach provides comprehensive protection but requires understanding how different services interact to avoid gaps or conflicts in security policies.