OCI Network Firewall Adds Source NAT (SNAT) Support

 

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure’s Network Firewall service just got more intelligent with native support for Source Network Address Translation (SNAT). Released June 24, 2025, this update enhances outbound traffic capabilities while simplifying your network security architecture.

What’s New?

With this update, Network Firewall policies now allow you to define SNAT rules. That means:

• Multiple private source IPs can now share a single public IP for outbound connections.

• Traffic leaving your VCN can appear as coming from one consolidated IP—streamlined and secure.

Why It Matters

Benefit	Description
IP Address Optimization	Minimize your public IP footprint by using a shared SNAT address for many internal hosts.
Simplified Egress Management	Manage outbound rules more easily with central IP tracking.
Consistent External Representation	Maintain a consistent public IP across all environments—easier firewall and compliance setup.
Enhanced Security Posture	Hide internal IP details and reduce exposure with one trusted SNAT address.

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Use Case Scenarios

• Web and API Access
  Let backend servers, containers, or functions share a single SNAT IP for outbound requests.

• Third‑Party Integrations
  Easily whitelist a single IP for external services—no need to manage multiple ranges.

• Regulated Environments
  Use one audited IP with proper logging and retention for compliance egress rules.

• Multi-Subnet Environments
  Route all outbound traffic through a firewall with SNAT to simplify routing and security policies.

How to Get Started

1. Navigate to your Network Firewall policy in the OCI Console.

2. Choose Add NAT Rule, specifying:

   • Source CIDR(s) (internal IP ranges)

   • Translated IP (public SNAT address)

3. Apply and test—verify outgoing connections reflect the SNAT IP.

4. Keep logs and analytics in OCI Logging or Monitoring to track your translated traffic.

Final Thoughts

The addition of SNAT rules to OCI Network Firewall bridges the gap between secure outbound connectivity and efficient, scalable network design. You can now maintain tighter egress control, reduce IP consumption, and simplify external integrations—all while maintaining robust security.