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1. Map the traffic before changing rules
Write down the gateway’s listener address and port, its intended clients, and every network path between them. Include the reverse proxy or load balancer, administrative interfaces, model-provider APIs, DNS, and any enabled URL fetchers, webhooks, or other tools. For each flow, record its purpose, direction, source, destination, and protocol.
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This inventory becomes the basis for a segmentation policy: which systems may communicate, and why. OWASP’s Network Segmentation Cheat Sheet recommends defining a network security policy that describes firewall rules and permitted access. Do not assume a universal listener port or provider-domain list; those depend on the gateway, its configuration, and the services you choose.
2. Control who can connect to the gateway (ingress)
Bind and expose only the intended listener
If the gateway lets you choose its listening interface, bind it only to the interface needed for its intended access path. If users must connect remotely, expose a controlled reverse proxy or private access path rather than publishing the application listener directly. Configure the host or network firewall to permit the backend listener only from that proxy or other explicitly approved clients, so a reachable backend cannot be used to bypass the front door.
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Limit permitted source networks and ports to real client and management requirements. Where the product supports it, put management endpoints on a separate, more restricted path. These are deployment principles, not a tested configuration for a particular gateway.
Keep network location separate from authorization
Require endpoint-level authentication and authorization for non-public APIs, including requests arriving through a trusted network path. OWASP states: “Non-public REST services must perform access control at each API endpoint.” Its REST Security Cheat Sheet also recommends HTTPS and allowlisting permitted HTTP methods. Use HTTPS/TLS for client connections and internal service communications; an internal route does not make plaintext or unauthenticated traffic safe.
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An identity-aware proxy can add a check at the access boundary, but it does not remove the need for the API to enforce its own permissions. OWASP’s Zero Trust Architecture Cheat Sheet describes identity-aware proxies and authenticating each API call as part of a zero-trust approach.
3. Restrict what the gateway can reach (egress)
Start with deny by default
Apply outbound rules to the gateway’s host, workload, or network segment so the gateway can contact only destinations required for its documented functions. Explicitly allow the selected model-provider APIs and necessary supporting flows such as DNS; add other destinations only when a known feature requires them. Keep administrative services, databases, cloud metadata endpoints, and unrelated internal networks unreachable unless there is a documented reason to permit access.
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OWASP’s SSRF guidance describes network-layer controls as a way to limit an application to allowed routes. This matters even when the gateway itself is behaving normally: URL-fetching or tool features can turn user-controlled input into requests from the gateway’s network position.
Treat URL fetching and tools as SSRF-sensitive
If users can submit URLs, request link previews, trigger webhooks, or invoke tools that fetch resources, validate and constrain those requests. Prefer an allowlist when the feature has a known set of destinations, isolate fetching where practical, and restrict its network routes independently from the main gateway. OWASP’s Server Side Request Forgery Prevention Cheat Sheet explains how client-controlled URLs can cause an application to contact unexpected internal destinations, including metadata services.
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If a feature genuinely needs arbitrary public URLs, application-level hostname checks are not enough on their own. DNS answers can change, including through rebinding; validate the resolved IPv4 and IPv6 destinations and enforce network-layer restrictions as well. Test both address families where they are available. Do not allow the fetching component to reach internal or metadata destinations merely because a hostname initially appeared public.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.4. Choose controls that match the deployment
Host firewalls, network firewalls, container controls, and Kubernetes NetworkPolicy work at different layers. They can complement one another; none is a universal substitute for the others. OWASP recognizes both dedicated firewall devices and operating-system firewalls, so extra hardware is optional if existing controls can enforce and expose the needed policy.
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| Control point | Useful for | Check before relying on it |
|---|---|---|
| Host or VM firewall | Restricting traffic to a listener and limiting outbound routes from the machine. | Confirm the rules cover the actual interface and address families in use, and that the gateway cannot bypass the intended listener path. OWASP’s SSRF guidance identifies firewall controls as a way to make only allowed routes available. |
| Network or perimeter firewall | Enforcing allowed flows between network zones, such as an edge, application tier, and sensitive backend services. | Define intended inter-zone flows rather than treating all systems on a private network as trusted. Confirm the policy provides the destination and protocol controls the deployment needs. |
| Container networking | Applying controls at the host, bridge, or network-policy layer provided by the selected runtime. | Verify the runtime’s actual behavior for published ports, interface bindings, and container egress. Behavior is runtime- and configuration-specific; do not assume containers are isolated simply because they are containers. |
| Kubernetes NetworkPolicy | Applying workload- or namespace-level ingress and egress policy. | Confirm the cluster’s CNI enforces NetworkPolicy, and account for host networking, which can undermine pod-network assumptions or expose node-local services. |
For Kubernetes, apply policies in both directions. OWASP’s K05: Missing Network Segmentation Controls in Kubernetes Top 10 2025 recommends starting with default deny, then allowing traffic needed for application operation. After that baseline, add only the necessary DNS and application flows and verify that the CNI enforces them. Avoid host networking unless it is necessary and its consequences are understood.
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For cloud or otherwise segmented networks, separate the public edge, gateway application tier, and sensitive backend services where practical. Define the intended connections between zones; a shared private network alone should not imply trust.
5. Preserve application-layer protections
Network filtering limits reachability and can reduce blast radius, but it does not decide what an authenticated user is allowed to do. Keep request validation, endpoint authorization, permitted HTTP methods, rate limiting, and security logging in the application or API layer. OWASP’s Secure API Gateway Blueprint lists authentication, authorization, rate limiting, logging, encryption, threat detection, and deployment guidance among its objectives. OWASP describes this project as an incubator, so treat it as a statement of project scope, not a completed standard or production-ready implementation.
6. Verify the policy from both sides
Test the effective rules from the network contexts that matter, rather than assuming a configuration has taken effect:
- From an unauthorized client network: confirm the gateway listener cannot be reached.
- From an authorized client path: confirm intended requests work through the proxy or private access route, and that the backend cannot be reached through an unintended bypass.
- From the gateway’s own network context: confirm required provider calls and DNS work, while unrelated internal destinations, metadata endpoints, and disallowed public destinations fail.
- Across address families and name resolution: check IPv4 and IPv6 separately where available, inspect DNS behavior, and verify that hostname-based allowances do not undermine destination restrictions.
- After deployment changes: repeat the checks after redeployments or network changes, which can alter interfaces, addresses, or enforcement.
Record denied connections and policy violations. Where feasible, send security-relevant logs to a protected central location separate from the gateway host; OWASP’s zero-trust and segmentation guidance discusses monitoring traffic and protecting logs against tampering after a compromise. Keep the flow inventory and rule rationale current so an exception has an owner and a reason.
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