GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC) Practice Test

Firewalls are designed primarily to protect networks from unauthorized external access. They act as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks, such as the internet. By monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, firewalls can block unauthorized users from gaining access to sensitive information and resources within the network.

While internal threats, social engineering, and physical theft are significant concerns for organizations, firewalls are not specifically designed to address these issues. Internal threats often require different security measures, such as user access controls and monitoring of user behavior. Social engineering attacks typically exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities, making them less of a concern for firewalls. Additionally, physical theft involves the tangible removal of hardware or data, which is outside the realm of what a firewall can protect against. Hence, the primary function of a firewall revolves around safeguarding against unauthorized access attempts from external sources.