Which term describes a device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic?

Which term describes a device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic?

• A. Firewall
• B. Router
• C. Switch
• D. Intrusion Detection System

Answer: (A)

Firewall. It’s the device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic by enforcing security rules. Positioned at the network edge or on a host, it filters traffic based on criteria like IP addresses, ports, and protocols, and can perform more advanced checks such as stateful inspection or application-layer filtering to permit legitimate communications while blocking threats. Routers direct traffic between networks but don’t enforce security policies in the same way; switches move frames within a LAN; IDS systems detect suspicious activity and alert, and may block only in Integrated IPS deployments.

Firewall. It’s the device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic by enforcing security rules. Positioned at the network edge or on a host, it filters traffic based on criteria like IP addresses, ports, and protocols, and can perform more advanced checks such as stateful inspection or application-layer filtering to permit legitimate communications while blocking threats. Routers direct traffic between networks but don’t enforce security policies in the same way; switches move frames within a LAN; IDS systems detect suspicious activity and alert, and may block only in Integrated IPS deployments.