Question

List and briefly describe at least four of the hardware devices or software programs that perform packet filtering, as discussed in the course textbook.

Answer 1

"Packet filtering" is firewall technique which is used to control network access by monitoring outgoing and incoming packets and allowing them to pass or halt based on the source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, protocols and ports.

The four hardware devices or software programs that perform packet filtering are :

1) Wireless intrusion prevention and detection system (WIDPS):

WIDPS is a standalone security device or integrated software application that monitors a wireless LAN network’s radio spectrum for rogue access points and other wireless security threats. The wireless access point does double duty, providing network traffic with wireless connectivity while periodically scanning for rogue access points. Sensors are deployed throughout a building to monitor radio frequencies. The sensors forward the data they collect to a centralized server for further analysis, action and archiving.

2) Unified threat management (UTM):

  UTM is an approach to information security in which a single hardware or software installation provides multiple security functions. This contrasts with the traditional method of having point solutions for each security function. UTM appliances have quickly gained popularity, partly because the all-in-one approach simplifies installation, configuration and maintenance.

3) Network access control (NAC):

  Network access control is a network security control device that restricts the availability of network resources to endpoint devices that comply with your security policy. Some NAC solutions can automatically fix non-compliant devices to ensure they are secure before allowing them to access the network. Network access control does a lot to enhance the endpoint security of a network.

4) Network load balancer (NLB) :

Load balancers are physical units that direct computers to individual servers in a network based on factors such as server processor utilization, number of connections to a server or overall server performance. A load balancer can be implemented as a security software or hardware solution, and it is usually associated with a device like a router, a firewall, a network address translation appliance and so on. A load balancer splits the traffic intended for a website into individual requests that are then rotated to redundant servers as they become available.