Common policies

The following policies are commonly used to secure network traffic.

For a baseline set of recommended policies, refer to Secure your Internet traffic and SaaS apps.

Refer to the network policies page for a comprehensive list of other selectors, operators, and actions.

Block unauthorized applications

To minimize the risk of shadow IT, some organizations choose to limit their users' access to certain web-based tools and applications. For example, the following policy blocks known AI tools:

Selector	Operator	Value	Action
Application	in	Artificial Intelligence	Block

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Block unauthorized applications",
    "description": "Block access to unauthorized AI applications",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "block",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "any(app.type.ids[*] in {25})",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Check user identity

Configure access on a per user or group basis by adding identity-based conditions to your policies.

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Application	in	Salesforce	And	Block
User Group Names	in	Contractors

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Check user identity",
    "description": "Block access to Salesforce by temporary employees and contractors",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "block",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "any(app.ids[*] in {606})",
    "identity": "any(identity.groups.name[*] in {\"Contractors\"})",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Enforce device posture

Require devices to have certain software installed or other configuration attributes. For instructions on enabling a device posture check, refer to the device posture section. For example, you can use a list of device serial numbers to ensure users can only access an application if they connect with the WARP client from a company device:

In the following example, you can use a list of device serial numbers to ensure users can only access an application if they connect with the WARP client from a company device:

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
SNI Domain	is	`internalapp.com`	And	Block
Passed Device Posture Checks	not in	Device serial numbers

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "All-NET-ApplicationAccess-Allow",
    "description": "Ensure access to the application comes from authorized WARP clients",
    "precedence": 70,
    "enabled": false,
    "action": "block",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "any(net.sni.domains[*] == \"internalapp.com\")",
    "device_posture": "not(any(device_posture.checks.passed[*] in {\"<DEVICE_SERIAL_NUMBERS_LIST_UUID>\"}))"
  }'

To get the UUIDs of your device posture checks, use the List device posture rules endpoint.

resource "cloudflare_zero_trust_gateway_policy" "all_net_applicationaccess_allow" {
  account_id  = var.cloudflare_account_id
  name        = "All-NET-ApplicationAccess-Allow"
  description = "Ensure access to the application comes from authorized WARP clients"
  precedence  = 70
  enabled     = false
  action      = "block"
  filters     = ["l4"]
  traffic     = "any(net.sni.domains[*] == \"internalapp.com\")"
  posture      =  "not(any(device_posture.checks.passed[*] in {\"${"$"}${cloudflare_zero_trust_list.allowed_devices_sn_list.id}\"}))"
}

Enforce session duration

To require users to re-authenticate after a certain amount of time has elapsed, configure WARP sessions.

Allow only approved traffic

Restrict user access to only the specific sites or applications configured in your HTTP policies.

1. Allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Detected Protocol	is	TLS	And	Allow
Destination Port	in	`80`, `443`

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic",
    "description": "Restrict traffic to HTTP and HTTPS traffic",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "allow",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.detected_protocol == \"tls\" and net.dst.port in {80 443}",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

2. Block all other traffic

Selector	Operator	Value	Action
Protocol	in	TCP, UDP	Block

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Block all other traffic",
    "description": "Block all other traffic that is not HTTP or HTTPS",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "block",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.protocol in {\"tcp\" \"udp\"}",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Filter HTTPS traffic when inspecting on all ports

If your organization blocks traffic by default with a Network policy and you want to inspect HTTP traffic on all ports, you need to explicitly allow HTTP and TLS traffic to filter it.

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Detected Protocol	is	TLS	Or	Allow
Detected Protocol	is	HTTP

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Allow on inspect all ports",
    "description": "Filter HTTPS traffic when using inspect all ports",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "allow",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.detected_protocol == \"tls\" or net.detected_protocol == \"http\"",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Restrict private network access to proxy endpoint users

When using proxy endpoints, by default all devices added to the proxy endpoint can access your internal applications and services connected through Cloudflare Tunnel. To restrict access and add an additional layer of security, create the following policies.

Source IP proxy endpoints

When using source IP proxy endpoints, restrict access to only users connecting through the proxy endpoint from specific source IPs.

1. Allow proxy endpoint traffic from specific source IPs

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Proxy Endpoint	in	Proxy Endpoint	And	Allow
Source IP	in	`203.0.113.0/24`	And
Destination IP	in	`10.0.0.0/8`

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Allow proxy endpoint traffic from specific source IPs",
    "description": "Allow traffic from proxy endpoint users with specific source IPs to reach private network",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "allow",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.proxy_endpoint.ids[*] in {\"<PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID>\"} and net.src.ip in {203.0.113.0/24} and net.dst.ip in {10.0.0.0/8}",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Replace <PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID> with your proxy endpoint ID.

2. Block all other proxy endpoint traffic to private network

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Proxy Endpoint	in	Proxy Endpoint	And	Block
Destination IP	in	`10.0.0.0/8`

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Block all other proxy endpoint traffic",
    "description": "Block any other proxy endpoint traffic from accessing the private network",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "block",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.proxy_endpoint.ids[*] in {\"<PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID>\"} and net.dst.ip in {10.0.0.0/8}",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Replace <PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID> with your proxy endpoint ID.

Authorization proxy endpoints

When using authorization proxy endpoints, add an additional layer of security by restricting access to only users connecting from specific source IPs. This prevents unauthorized access even if user credentials are compromised.

1. Allow proxy endpoint traffic from specific source IPs

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Proxy Endpoint	in	Proxy Endpoint	And	Allow
Source IP	in	`203.0.113.0/24`	And
Destination IP	in	`10.0.0.0/8`

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Allow authorized proxy endpoint traffic from specific source IPs",
    "description": "Allow traffic from authorization proxy endpoint users with specific source IPs to reach private network",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "allow",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.proxy_endpoint.ids[*] in {\"<PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID>\"} and net.src.ip in {203.0.113.0/24} and net.dst.ip in {10.0.0.0/8}",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Replace <PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID> with your proxy endpoint ID.

2. Block all other proxy endpoint traffic to private network

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Proxy Endpoint	in	Proxy Endpoint	And	Block
Destination IP	in	`10.0.0.0/8`

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Block all other authorized proxy endpoint traffic",
    "description": "Block any other authorization proxy endpoint traffic from accessing the private network",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "block",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.proxy_endpoint.ids[*] in {\"<PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID>\"} and net.dst.ip in {10.0.0.0/8}",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Replace <PROXY_ENDPOINT_ID> with your proxy endpoint ID.

Restrict access to private networks

Restrict access to resources which you have connected through Cloudflare Tunnel.

The following example consists of two policies: the first allows specific users to reach your application, and the second blocks all other traffic.

1. Allow company employees

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Destination IP	in	`10.0.0.0/8`	And	Allow
User Email	matches regex	`.*@example.com`

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Allow company employees",
    "description": "Allow any users with an organization email to reach the application",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "allow",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.dst.ip in {10.0.0.0/8}",
    "identity": "identity.email matches \".*@example.com\"",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

2. Block everyone else

Selector	Operator	Value	Action
Destination IP	in	`10.0.0.0/8`	Block

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Block everyone else",
    "description": "Block any other users from accessing the application",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "block",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.dst.ip in {10.0.0.0/8}",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": ""
  }'

Override IP address

Override traffic directed toward a specific IP address with a different IP address.

Selector	Operator	Value	Logic	Action
Destination IP	in	`203.0.113.17`	And	Network Override
Destination Port	is	`80`

Override IP	Override Port
`1.1.1.1`	`80`

curl "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCOUNT_ID/gateway/rules" \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "name": "Override example.com with 1.1.1.1",
    "description": "Override a site'\''s IP address with another IP",
    "enabled": true,
    "action": "l4_override",
    "filters": [
        "l4"
    ],
    "traffic": "net.dst.ip in {203.0.113.17} and net.dst.port == 80",
    "identity": "",
    "device_posture": "",
    "rule_settings": {
        "l4override": {
            "ip": "1.1.1.1",
            "port": 80
        },
        "override_host": "",
        "override_ips": null
    }
  }'

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