What are OCI Network Security Groups (NSGs) used for?

Network Security Groups (NSGs) in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) are crucial for managing network security within a Virtual Cloud Network (VCN). Their primary purpose is to control the flow of inbound (ingress) and outbound (egress) traffic to and from resources such as compute instances. By using NSGs, you can define specific rules that allow or block traffic based on IP protocols and ports, ensuring that only legitimate traffic is permitted. This feature enhances security by allowing you to segment traffic and apply different security policies as needed.

This targeted approach offers flexibility in managing network security, enabling you to tailor the access control policies that meet the specific requirements of your applications and services. NSGs provide a vital layer of defense within the OCI environment, contributing to an overall secure cloud architecture.