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What does NAT stand for and what is its role in a SOHO network?
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NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It translates private IP addresses used in the LAN (Local Area Network) to the public IP address assigned to the router's WAN (Wide Area Network) interface.
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What additional functionality can a proxy server provide compared to NAT?
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A proxy server processes entire HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) requests, adds security, caching, and filtering, while NAT only translates IP addresses.
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How does a proxy server handle a client’s HTTP request?
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The client sends a request, the proxy server receives it, checks it, forwards it to the destination server, and then checks the response before sending it back to the client.
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What is the difference between a transparent and non-transparent proxy server?
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Transparent Proxy requires no client-side configuration, while a Non-transparent Proxy requires the client to configure the proxy server’s IP address and port, commonly port 8080.
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How does a proxy server improve security?
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It acts as a content filter, blocking access to inappropriate websites, setting time limits, and imposing time-of-day browsing restrictions.
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How does caching work in a proxy server?
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Caching stores frequently accessed content, like websites, improving network performance by delivering stored data quickly and reducing bandwidth usage.
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What does ACL stand for in the context of firewalls?
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ACL stands for Access Control List. It defines rules in a firewall specifying which network traffic is allowed or blocked based on IP addresses and ports.
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What does IDS stand for and what is its role?
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IDS stands for Intrusion Detection System. It monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and alerts administrators if potential threats are detected.
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How does an IPS differ from an IDS?
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IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) not only detects suspicious activity like IDS but also takes preventive action, such as blocking malicious traffic.
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What roles do SPF, DKIM, and DMARC play in spam gateways?
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These protocols (SPF - Sender Policy Framework, DKIM - DomainKeys Identified Mail, DMARC - Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) are used to verify the legitimacy of mail servers and filter out spam and malicious emails.
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What does UTM stand for and why is it beneficial?
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UTM stands for Unified Threat Management. It centralizes multiple security tools (firewalls, IDS/IPS, antivirus, etc.) into a single device, simplifying configuration and reporting.
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What is the purpose of a load balancer?
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A load balancer distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers, ensuring no single server is overwhelmed, improving both availability and scalability.
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What does EOL stand for, and why is it important in the context of legacy systems?
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EOL stands for End of Life. It refers to systems or software that are no longer supported by the vendor, which poses security risks due to the lack of updates or patches.
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How can you minimize risks when using EOL legacy systems?
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Isolate the EOL system from the network, monitor its connections, and apply additional security measures to protect against vulnerabilities.
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What does IoT stand for, and what is its primary purpose?
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IoT stands for Internet of Things. It refers to a network of connected devices (e.g., wearables, appliances) that communicate and automate tasks using sensors and network connectivity.
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What are two low-power wireless protocols commonly used in IoT networks?
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The two common low-power wireless protocols are Z-Wave and Zigbee, which are optimized for devices with limited processing and power resources.
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What is the significance of a virtual server in load balancing?
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A virtual server provides clients with a single service address, while the load balancer distributes the requests to multiple physical servers behind the scenes.
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How do DLP systems help secure a network?
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DLP (Data Leak Prevention) systems monitor outgoing network traffic to detect and block unauthorized transfer of sensitive information, ensuring data security.
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What does HTTP stand for and what role does it play in proxy servers?
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HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, and it is the protocol used by proxy servers to handle web page requests from clients on the local network.
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What does WAN stand for and how is it different from LAN?
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WAN stands for Wide Area Network, which connects networks over a broad geographical area, while LAN (Local Area Network) is restricted to a small area like an office or home.