Information Technology Specialist (ITS) Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What network tool should a new company use to protect its internal network while providing access to customers on its website?

1. Firewall

2. VPN

3. DMZ

4. Proxy server

The correct answer is: DMZ

The most effective tool for protecting an internal network while providing a safe access point for customers accessing a company's website is a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). A DMZ is a physical or logical subnetwork that contains and exposes an organization's external-facing services, such as web servers, to an untrusted network, typically the internet. By utilizing a DMZ, the company can allow external users to access its website without directly exposing the internal network to potential threats from outside. This setup serves as an additional layer of security, as any potential attacks on the web server can be isolated from the internal resources. The DMZ acts as a buffer zone, where compromised servers can be contained and monitored without leading to a breach of the internal network. While firewalls and VPNs also play crucial roles in network security, a firewall primarily focuses on filtering traffic based on predetermined security rules, and a VPN is mainly used for secure remote access to internal resources. Proxy servers can provide a variety of functions, such as content filtering and anonymity; however, they do not inherently serve the specific purpose of segmenting network access in a manner that provides a direct and secure method for external users to interact with a company’s web services. Thus, the DMZ is the appropriate