In the context of firewall rules, what is the term for the combined filtering point and table?

The term that refers to the combined filtering point and table in the context of firewall rules is "chain." In many firewall contexts, particularly when discussing tools like iptables in Linux, a chain is a set of rules that determine how network packets should be handled. Each chain consists of a sequence of rules that are evaluated in order, and based on those rules, packets can be accepted, dropped, logged, or modified.

Within a firewall, chains can be part of larger structures such as tables, where different types of chains serve different purposes. For example, the input chain deals with incoming packets, the output chain handles outgoing packets, and the forwarding chain applies to packets being routed through the firewall. The concept of chains is essential because they allow network administrators to create complex policies for managing traffic, enhancing security by filtering packets based on defined criteria.

Other terms like zone, policy, and interface have specific meanings in firewall and networking contexts, but they do not refer directly to the combined filtering point and table as a chain does. Zones usually refer to groups of IP addresses that share common security requirements, policies typically denote an overarching set of rules or guidelines regarding security measures, and interfaces refer to the network ports or connections through which traffic enters or leaves a device.