What does deep inspection in a firewall involve?

Deep inspection in a firewall involves a thorough examination of both the headers and the actual data payload of network packets. This process allows the firewall to assess the content and verify whether it meets specific security policies and criteria. By checking both layers—header information, which contains routing and protocol data, and the data section, which contains the actual information being transmitted—deep inspection offers a more comprehensive security approach.

This method is crucial for detecting sophisticated attacks and malicious content that may not be evident from header analysis alone. Thus, it enhances the firewall's ability to block unauthorized access and prevent threats, making it a key feature for many modern security environments.