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What are network firewalls? Test your network security IQ

Network firewalls have been an essential part of network security since the internet began. This quiz covers what network firewalls are and tests your security expertise.

Way back in prehistoric -- or, at least, pre-internet -- times, a firewall was solely a wall intended to restrain a fire within a building. Now, the fires are more abstract and adapt over time just as the firewall definition has.

A network firewall is software or firmware that uses a set of rules to prevent unauthorized traffic from accessing a network. Firewalls date back to the beginning of the internet, which makes them an essential and longstanding part of network security. Various types and generations of firewalls have existed over time, as both the technology and its attackers adapted to changes and advancements. This quiz explores these changes and how each type of firewall differs.

The following 10 questions cover the five types of network firewalls, as well as how they function and how they affect networks.

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