(a) State the purpose of a firewall. [2] (b)... | Information and Communication Technology (9-1) 0983 | Paper 1 Mock 21 | Theory

Question 1 Report

(a) State the purpose of a firewall. [2]

(b) Describe the difference between a hardware firewall and a software firewall. [2]

(c) Explain why a business might choose to use both types of firewall. [2]

Answer

Answer Details

(a) The purpose of a firewall:

A firewall monitors all incoming and outgoing network traffic. [1]
It blocks or allows data packets based on a set of predefined security rules, preventing unauthorised access to or from the network. [1]

(b) The difference between a hardware firewall and a software firewall:

A hardware firewall is a physical device positioned between the network and the internet connection. It filters traffic for the entire network before it reaches any individual computer. [1]
A software firewall is a program installed on an individual computer that monitors traffic to and from that specific device. It provides protection at the level of a single machine. [1]

(c) Why a business might choose to use both types:

A hardware firewall protects the entire network from external threats at the point of entry, filtering out attacks before they reach any internal device. [1]
A software firewall provides additional protection for individual computers against threats that may have bypassed the hardware firewall, or threats that originate from within the network (for example, malware introduced via a USB drive). [1]

(a) State the purpose of a firewall. [2] (b) Describe the difference between a hardware firewall and a software firewall. [2] (c) Explain why a business mig...