Aggregate—Apply the DoS thresholds configured in the profile to all connections that match the rule criteria on which this profile is applied. For example, an aggregate rule with a SYN flood Alarm Rate threshold of 10,000 CPS counts the combined connections of all the devices that match the DoS rule. When the total CPS for the group exceeds 10,000 CPS that triggers the alarm, regardless of how the CPS are spread across the devices.

Classified—Apply the DoS thresholds configured in the profile to each individual connection that matches the classification criteria (source IP address, destination IP address, or source-and-destination IP address pair). For example, a classified rule with a SYN flood Alarm Rate threshold of 10,000 CPS allows up to 10,000 CPS per device and triggers an alarm when any individual device specified in the DoS rule exceeds 10,000 CPS.

Action—(SYN Flood only) Action that your configuration performs if the DoS Protection policy action is Protect and if incoming CPS reach the Activate Rate. Choose one of the following:

Alarm Rate—Specify the threshold rate (CPS) to generate a DoS alarm (range is 0 to 2,000,000 cps; default is 10,000 cps).

For Classified profiles, the best practice is to set the threshold to 15-20% above the device’s average CPS rate to accommodate normal fluctuations and adjust the threshold if you receive too many alarms. For Aggregate profiles, the best practice is to set the threshold to 15-20% above the group’s average CPS rate. Monitor and adjust the thresholds as needed.

Activate Rate—Specify the threshold rate (cps) at which a DoS response is activated. The DoS response is configured in the Action field of the DoS Protection profile (Random Early Detection or SYN cookies). The Activate Rate range is 0 to 2,000,000 cps; default is 10,000 cps.

If the profile Action is Random Early Drop (RED), when incoming connections per second reach the Activate Rate threshold, RED occurs. If the CPS rate increases, the RED rate increases according to an algorithm. Your configuration continues with RED until the CPS rate reaches the Max Rate threshold.

Classified profiles apply exact CPS limits to individual devices and you base those limits on the capacity of the protected devices, so you don’t need to throttle CPS gradually and can set the Activate Rate to the same threshold as the Max Rate. Set the Activate Rate lower than the Max Rate only if you want to begin dropping traffic to an individual server before it reaches the Max Rate. For Aggregate profiles, set the threshold just above the peak CPS rate for the group. Monitor and adjust the thresholds as needed.

Max Rate—Specify the threshold rate of incoming connections per second your configuration allows. At the Max Rate threshold, your configuration drops 100% of new connections (range is 2 to 2,000,000 cps; default is 40,000 cps.)

For Classified profiles, base the Max Rate on the capacity of the devices you’re protecting so they can’t be flooded. For Aggregate profiles, set the Max Rate to 80-90% of the group’s capacity. Monitor and adjust the thresholds as needed.

Block Duration—Specify the length of time (seconds) during which the offending IP address remains on the Block IP list and connections with the IP address are blocked. Your configuration doesn’t count packets that arrive during the block duration toward the Alarm Rate, Activate Rate, or Max Rate thresholds (range is 1 to 21,600 seconds; default is 300 seconds).

Every virtual system (vsys) on a multi-vsys firewall. If you clear this selection, the profile will be available only to the Virtual System selected in the Objects tab.

Every device group on Panorama. If you clear this selection, the profile will be available only to the Device Group selected in the Objects tab.

Aggregate—Apply the DoS thresholds configured in the profile to all connections that match the rule criteria on which this profile is applied. For example, an aggregate rule with a SYN flood Alarm Rate threshold of 10,000 CPS counts the combined connections of all the devices that match the DoS rule. When the total CPS for the group exceeds 10,000 CPS that triggers the alarm, regardless of how the CPS are spread across the devices.

Classified—Apply the DoS thresholds configured in the profile to each individual connection that matches the classification criteria (source IP address, destination IP address, or source-and-destination IP address pair). For example, a classified rule with a SYN flood Alarm Rate threshold of 10,000 CPS allows up to 10,000 CPS per device and triggers an alarm when any individual device specified in the DoS rule exceeds 10,000 CPS.

Action—(SYN Flood only) Action that the firewall performs if the DoS Protection policy action is Protect and if incoming CPS reach the Activate Rate. Choose one of the following:

Alarm Rate—Specify the threshold rate (CPS) to generate a DoS alarm (range is 0 to 2,000,000 cps; default is 10,000 cps).

For Classified profiles, the best practice is to set the threshold to 15-20% above the device’s average CPS rate to accommodate normal fluctuations and adjust the threshold if you receive too many alarms. For Aggregate profiles, the best practice is to set the threshold to 15-20% above the group’s average CPS rate. Monitor and adjust the thresholds as needed.

Activate Rate—Specify the threshold rate (cps) at which a DoS response is activated. The DoS response is configured in the Action field of the DoS Protection profile (Random Early Detection or SYN cookies). The Activate Rate range is 0 to 2,000,000 cps; the default is 10,000 cps.

If the profile Action is Random Early Drop (RED), when incoming connections per second reach the Activate Rate threshold, RED occurs. If the CPS rate increases, the RED rate increases according to an algorithm. The firewall continues with RED until the CPS rate reaches the Max Rate threshold.

Classified profiles apply exact CPS limits to individual devices and you base those limits on the capacity of the protected devices, so you don’t need to throttle CPS gradually and can set the Activate Rate to the same threshold as the Max Rate. Set the Activate Rate lower than the Max Rate only if you want to begin dropping traffic to an individual server before it reaches the Max Rate. For Aggregate profiles, set the threshold just above the peak CPS rate for the group. Monitor and adjust the thresholds as needed.

Max Rate—Specify the threshold rate of incoming connections per second the firewall allows. At the Max Rate threshold, the firewall drops 100% of new connections (range is 2 to 2,000,000 cps; default is 40,000 cps.)

For Classified profiles, base the Max Rate on the capacity of the devices you’re protecting so they can’t be flooded. For Aggregate profiles, set the Max Rate to 80-90% of the group’s capacity. Monitor and adjust the thresholds as needed.

Block Duration—Specify the length of time (seconds) during which the offending IP address remains on the Block IP list and connections with the IP address are blocked. The firewall doesn’t count packets that arrive during the block duration toward the Alarm Rate, Activate Rate, or Max Rate thresholds (range is 1 to 21,600 seconds; default is 300 seconds).