The Internet Gateway Device (IGD) protocol allows client software on computers behind a NAT router/firewall to request that incoming networking ports on the router be forwarded to the client computer. Though this technology is often criticized as a weakening of security my analysis of the threat vectors has left me unconvinced that an IGD router/firewall represents a significant risk compared to a system without IGD. For many users, port forwarding remains an unfamiliar concept and they do not wish to take the time and effort to configure it manually. By turning on IGD a NAT router/firewall can better support the software needs of the computers on the private network.