Randall

A firewall is a security device that protects computers and networks from unauthorized access. A stateful firewall maintains a database of authorized IP addresses and ports for each user, server, or application. If a user tries to access a site that is not in the firewall’s database, the firewall will refuse access. A stateless firewall does not maintain a database of authorized IP addresses and ports.

Instead, it relies on the client computer to send out a request for information on the server’s IP address and port. If the server is not listed in the client’s cache, the client will request the information from a server that is listed in the client’s cache. A stateless firewall is easier to set up, but it is less secure because it is not able to keep track of which servers are authorized.