What do firewall rules typically determine?

Firewall rules primarily determine whether to pass or block specific traffic flowing through the network based on predefined security policies. Each rule in a firewall checks incoming or outgoing packets against pre-established criteria, such as IP addresses, ports, and protocols. If the traffic matches the criteria as defined by the rule, it can either be allowed to pass through (permitted) or blocked, preventing unauthorized access or potential threats to the network.

While rate of data transfer, types of connections allowed, and encryption methods are all relevant considerations in network security and overall network management, they fall outside the direct function of firewall rules. Firewalls are specifically focused on controlling access based on security policies rather than managing the speed of communications, specifying connection types in the sense of application-layer protocols, or handling encryption methodologies. Therefore, the primary role of firewall rules is to act as a gatekeeper for network traffic, making the determination to pass or block based on the established security measures.