(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What device is used to filter network traffic and enhance security and performance?

1. Endpoint

2. Laptop

3. MAC (media access control)

4. Firewall

The correct answer is: Firewall

A firewall is a critical device in network security architecture, used to filter traffic based on predetermined security rules. It acts as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks, such as the internet. By monitoring incoming and outgoing network traffic, a firewall can block or allow data packets based on security rules, preventing unauthorized access and mitigating potential threats. Firewalls can operate at different layers of the network stack, including the application layer and the network layer, providing filtering capabilities that enhance both security and performance. They can help in managing the volume of traffic that an organization experiences, improving performance by ensuring that only safe, legitimate traffic reaches internal resources. In contrast, the other options serve different purposes in a network environment. An endpoint refers to any device connected to a network, like computers and smartphones, which may be targets for attacks but do not inherently filter traffic. A laptop is simply a portable computer, and while it can have security software installed, it does not inherently filter traffic like a firewall does. Media Access Control (MAC) refers to a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications at the data link layer, which is not designed for traffic filtering or enhancing security explicitly. Thus, the firewall is the appropriate device for filtering network traffic and enhancing