What is the purpose of a firewall in cyber-security?
- (a)To allow unrestricted access to a network
- (b)To block unauthorized access to a network
- (c)To create a backup of a network's data
- (d)None of the above
Correct — B, To block unauthorized access to a network. A firewall is a network-security system — hardware, software, or both — that monitors incoming and outgoing traffic and blocks connections that don't meet defined security rules, acting as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks like the internet.
- (a)To allow unrestricted access to a network — This is the opposite of a firewall's purpose — a firewall restricts and filters access; it does not allow unrestricted access.
- (c)To create a backup of a network's data — Backing up data is the job of backup/recovery systems, not a firewall — a firewall's role is traffic filtering, not data storage.
- (d)None of the above — Wrong — option (b) correctly describes a firewall's purpose.
A firewall enforces a security boundary by inspecting network traffic against a rule-set and blocking anything unauthorized, while permitting legitimate traffic through. It is a preventive, access-control tool — distinct from backup systems (data recovery) or antivirus software (malware detection on a device).
The wrong options describe either the OPPOSITE of a firewall's job (unrestricted access) or an UNRELATED IT function (backup) — reading each option against the core idea of 'blocking unauthorized access' quickly eliminates both.
- A firewall filters network traffic based on defined security rules
- Its core purpose is to BLOCK unauthorized access while allowing legitimate traffic through
- Firewalls can be implemented as hardware, software, or both
- Firewalls are distinct from backup systems (data recovery) and antivirus software (malware scanning)
A firewall's job is to filter traffic — blocking unauthorized access while letting legitimate traffic reach the network.
- Picking the option that states the opposite of a firewall's function ('unrestricted access')
- Confusing a firewall's traffic-filtering role with data backup or antivirus scanning
MPPSC computer-awareness questions typically ask for the core PURPOSE of a security tool (firewall/antivirus/backup) — match the tool to its one defining job.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which of the following best describes the function of antivirus software, as distinct from a firewall?
- (a)It blocks unauthorized network traffic
- (b)It detects and removes malicious software from a device
- (c)It backs up network data
- (d)It creates new user accounts
Answer(b) It detects and removes malicious software from a device.
- practice — not a real PYQ
A firewall can be implemented as:
- (a)Hardware only
- (b)Software only
- (c)Hardware, software, or both
- (d)Neither hardware nor software
Answer(c) Hardware, software, or both.