Example quiz: cyber security

Generated question

Explain the concept of a firewall and how it helps protect computer networks from unauthorized access and cyber threats.

Entered response

A firewall filters all incoming network traffic and looks for malicious patterns to prevent the traffic reaching your system. Network traffic is any packet of information sent to an incoming port of a system. Common network protocols include TCP, HTTP or HTTPS. When the firewall filters the incoming packet of information, it will look for matches to rules you've constructed to allow, block or challenge incoming requests. When traffic is allowed, it continues on to your system's load balancer or servers to handle the request. When traffic is blocked, it is not allowed to proceed further into your system. When traffic is challenged, a user may be presented with a captcha challenge or puzzle to prove that they are a human. Rules are constructed to block common threats like SQL injection or credential stuffing. Reviewing your firewall logs to see what is blocked and allowed is required on a regular basis, so you can update rules to capture new threats, or see when you might be blocking good traffic.

Generated feedback

Strengths

The answer provides a clear and accurate description of what a firewall does in terms of filtering incoming network traffic.
It mentions common network protocols like TCP, HTTP, and HTTPS.
It explains that a firewall uses rules to allow, block, or challenge incoming requests.

Suggestions

The answer could be improved by providing an example of a malicious pattern that a firewall might look for.
The statement 'Reviewing your firewall logs to see what is blocked and allowed is required on a regular basis' is incorrect. While reviewing firewall logs is a good practice, it is not explicitly required on a regular basis. Suggested improvement: 'It is recommended to regularly review firewall logs to identify potential security threats and make necessary adjustments to the rules.'
The answer could be extended by discussing additional features or types of firewalls, such as network layer firewalls and application layer firewalls.
This answer could be improved by explaining the importance of firewalls in protecting against unauthorized access and cyber threats, and providing examples of such threats.

Example answer

A firewall is a security device or software that acts as a barrier between a computer network and external networks, such as the internet. It helps protect computer networks from unauthorized access and cyber threats by filtering incoming network traffic.

When network traffic reaches a firewall, it examines the packets of information and compares them against a set of predefined rules. These rules determine whether the traffic should be allowed, blocked, or challenged. For example, a firewall might block traffic that matches known malicious patterns, such as SQL injection attempts or credential stuffing attacks.

Firewalls can be configured to filter traffic based on various criteria, including network protocols like TCP, HTTP, or HTTPS. They can also be set up to allow or block traffic from specific IP addresses or ports.

Regularly reviewing firewall logs is recommended to identify potential security threats and make necessary adjustments to the rules. By implementing a firewall, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect their computer networks from cyber threats.