Firewall and Network Security Basics: MCQ Exam for Beginners

Enhance your understanding of firewalls and network security with this MCQ exam designed for beginners. Learn key concepts, firewall types and essential security practices to boost your knowledge and exam readiness!

Questions (30)


  1. What is the primary purpose of a firewall in a network?

    • a) To block all incoming and outgoing traffic
    • b) To monitor network traffic for potential threats
    • c) To filter and control incoming and outgoing network traffic
    • d) To increase network speed
    View Answer
    Correct To filter and control incoming and outgoing network traffic
  2. Which type of firewall filters traffic based on the source and destination IP address?

    • a) Stateful firewall
    • b) Proxy firewall
    • c) Packet filtering firewall
    • d) Deep packet inspection firewall
    View Answer
    Correct Packet filtering firewall
  3. What does a stateful firewall track?

    • a) The physical devices in a network
    • b) The state of active connections
    • c) The type of data packets being transferred
    • d) The content of network traffic
    View Answer
    Correct The state of active connections
  4. Which of the following is a characteristic of a packet filtering firewall?

    • a) It checks the content of packets
    • b) It examines the state of a connection
    • c) It filters traffic based on predefined rules like IP addresses and ports
    • d) It encrypts traffic
    View Answer
    Correct It filters traffic based on predefined rules like IP addresses and ports
  5. What does NAT (Network Address Translation) do in a firewall?

    • a) Converts private IP addresses into public IP addresses
    • b) Encrypts data to enhance security
    • c) Monitors network traffic
    • d) Routes data packets between different networks
    View Answer
    Correct Converts private IP addresses into public IP addresses
  6. What type of firewall is capable of acting as an intermediary between users and the internet?

    • a) Stateful firewall
    • b) Proxy firewall
    • c) Packet filtering firewall
    • d) Hybrid firewall
    View Answer
    Correct Proxy firewall
  7. Which firewall is best suited for monitoring and controlling traffic in real-time?

    • a) Proxy firewall
    • b) Stateless firewall
    • c) Stateful firewall
    • d) Packet filtering firewall
    View Answer
    Correct Stateful firewall
  8. What does the "default deny" policy in a firewall mean?

    • a) All traffic is allowed unless explicitly denied
    • b) All incoming traffic is blocked by default
    • c) All outgoing traffic is allowed unless explicitly denied
    • d) All traffic is denied unless explicitly allowed
    View Answer
    Correct All traffic is denied unless explicitly allowed
  9. Which of the following is a function of an intrusion detection system (IDS)?

    • a) To prevent unauthorized access to the network
    • b) To detect and alert on suspicious network activity
    • c) To monitor network performance
    • d) To encrypt network traffic
    View Answer
    Correct To detect and alert on suspicious network activity
  10. Which security protocol is commonly used to secure communication over a network?

    • a) HTTP
    • b) FTP
    • c) HTTPS
    • d) SNMP
    View Answer
    Correct HTTPS
  11. Which of the following best describes a "deny all" firewall rule?

    • a) It allows all traffic except for a list of denied sources
    • b) It blocks all traffic except for a list of allowed sources
    • c) It only allows encrypted traffic
    • d) It filters traffic based on protocol type
    View Answer
    Correct It blocks all traffic except for a list of allowed sources
  12. Which firewall type is most commonly used to prevent attacks from the internet?

    • a) Proxy firewall
    • b) Stateless firewall
    • c) Packet filtering firewall
    • d) Stateful firewall
    View Answer
    Correct Stateful firewall
  13. What is the key purpose of a proxy firewall?

    • a) To monitor and block unauthorized applications
    • b) To act as an intermediary for users requesting internet access
    • c) To track and manage bandwidth usage
    • d) To provide secure remote access
    View Answer
    Correct To act as an intermediary for users requesting internet access
  14. Which of the following is NOT typically a feature of network security management?

    • a) Traffic analysis
    • b) Encryption of sensitive data
    • c) Virus scanning
    • d) Web browsing history
    View Answer
    Correct Web browsing history
  15. What does an SSL/TLS certificate do?

    • a) Secures email communications
    • b) Encrypts traffic between web browsers and servers
    • c) Filters malicious traffic
    • d) Creates a VPN tunnel
    View Answer
    Correct Encrypts traffic between web browsers and servers
  16. What is the purpose of an anti-virus software in network security?

    • a) To scan and remove malicious files from devices connected to the network
    • b) To monitor bandwidth usage
    • c) To filter incoming network traffic
    • d) To provide secure remote access
    View Answer
    Correct To scan and remove malicious files from devices connected to the network
  17. What is a man-in-the-middle attack?

    • a) A type of attack where the attacker intercepts and potentially alters communications between two parties
    • b) An attack on the physical network cables
    • c) An attack targeting the hardware of network devices
    • d) A phishing attack aimed at stealing user credentials
    View Answer
    Correct A type of attack where the attacker intercepts and potentially alters communications between two parties
  18. Which protocol is primarily used for securing web traffic on the internet?

    • a) TCP
    • b) UDP
    • c) HTTPS
    • d) SNMP
    View Answer
    Correct HTTPS
  19. What is the role of a "honeypot" in network security?

    • a) To detect and divert unauthorized traffic
    • b) To block incoming attacks
    • c) To track traffic patterns
    • d) To encrypt sensitive data
    View Answer
    Correct To detect and divert unauthorized traffic
  20. Which of the following does NOT represent a form of network access control?

    • a) Firewalls
    • b) VPNs
    • c) Antivirus software
    • d) User authentication
    View Answer
    Correct Antivirus software
  21. What is the most common form of an authentication attack?

    • a) Phishing
    • b) DoS attack
    • c) Packet sniffing
    • d) Brute force attack
    View Answer
    Correct Brute force attack
  22. What is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack?

    • a) An attack that targets physical hardware components
    • b) An attack that floods a target system with traffic to disrupt services
    • c) A malicious attack that steals sensitive data
    • d) An attack aimed at altering the content of network communications
    View Answer
    Correct An attack that floods a target system with traffic to disrupt services
  23. What is the function of the security feature called "two-factor authentication"?

    • a) To increase the complexity of passwords
    • b) To provide an extra layer of protection by requiring two forms of identification
    • c) To monitor network traffic
    • d) To automatically log out inactive users
    View Answer
    Correct To provide an extra layer of protection by requiring two forms of identification
  24. Which of the following is an example of an authentication factor?

    • a) A username and password
    • b) A packet filter rule
    • c) An encryption algorithm
    • d) A secure VPN connection
    View Answer
    Correct A username and password
  25. What does the term "Zero Trust" refer to in network security?

    • a) A model where access to all network resources is denied until verified
    • b) A method of encrypting data transmissions
    • c) A rule to grant access based on geographical location
    • d) A security policy that allows unrestricted access to trusted devices
    View Answer
    Correct A model where access to all network resources is denied until verified
  26. Which of the following attacks is commonly prevented by firewalls?

    • a) Phishing
    • b) Man-in-the-middle attacks
    • c) Denial of Service (DoS)
    • d) SQL injection
    View Answer
    Correct Denial of Service (DoS)
  27. What is the main goal of an IDS (Intrusion Detection System)?

    • a) To block malicious network traffic
    • b) To detect and alert on suspicious activities within a network
    • c) To encrypt data sent over the network
    • d) To prevent data theft
    View Answer
    Correct To detect and alert on suspicious activities within a network
  28. Which of the following is a valid example of network security policy?

    • a) A rule about which types of network traffic are allowed
    • b) A specification for network cable types
    • c) A procedure for creating network IP addresses
    • d) A rule for data packet encapsulation
    View Answer
    Correct A rule about which types of network traffic are allowed
  29. Which of the following is NOT a common firewall configuration?

    • a) Proxy mode
    • b) Router-based firewall
    • c) Stateful inspection
    • d) HTTPS protocol
    View Answer
    Correct HTTPS protocol
  30. Which of the following protocols is considered unencrypted and is less secure for network communications?

    • a) HTTP
    • b) HTTPS
    • c) FTP
    • d) SFTP
    View Answer
    Correct HTTP

Ready to put your knowledge to the test?

Start Exam