Firewall for controlling connections between a client machine and a network

A computer program comprising a computer-usable medium having embodied therein computer-readable program codes for causing a computer to implement a firewall system for controlling connections between a client machine and a network, the firewall system being adapted for location outside the client machine, the computer-readable program codes configured to:

• receive incoming and outgoing connections from the network and client machine respectively;
• and
• in response to a connection request, initiate a connection between respective endpoints in the network and client machine, perform a security assessment comprising obtaining from at least one of the network and client machine information indicative of the security state of the endpoint therein, and allow or inhibit the connection in dependence on the result of the security assessment.

A data processing system comprising a client machine and a firewall system for controlling connections between the client machine and a network, wherein the firewall system is located outside the client machine and comprises control logic adapted for:

• receiving incoming and outgoing connections from the network and client machine respectively;
• and
• in response to a connection request initiating a connection between respective endpoints in the network and client machine, performing a security assessment comprising obtaining from at least one of the network and client machine information indicative of the security state of the endpoint therein, and allowing or inhibiting the connection in dependence on the result of the security assessment.