If you’re planning on taking the Security+ exam, you should have a basic understanding of how you can protect Internet-facing servers. One way is with a network perimeter, but there are others.
For example, can you answer this question?
Q. Your organization hosts a web server and wants to increase its security. You need to separate all web-facing traffic from internal network traffic. Which of the following provides the BEST solution?
A. VLAN
B. Firewall
C. DMZ
D. WAF
More, do you know why the correct answer is correct and the incorrect answers are incorrect? The answer and explanation is available at the end of this post.
Each of the eleven chapters presents topics in an easy to understand manner and includes real-world examples of security principles in action. You’ll understand the important and relevant security topics for the Security+ exam, without being overloaded with unnecessary details. Additionally, each chapter includes a comprehensive review section to help you focus on what’s important. Over 300 realistic practice test questions with in-depth explanations will help you test your comprehension and readiness for the exam. The book includes: Each practice test question includes a detailed explanation to help you understand the content and the reasoning behind the question. You’ll be ready to take and pass the exam the first time you take it. If you plan to pursue any of the advanced security certifications, this guide will also help you lay a solid foundation of security knowledge. Learn this material, and you’ll be a step ahead for other exams. This SY0-501 study guide is for any IT or security professional interested in advancing in their field, and a must-read for anyone striving to master the basics of IT security.The 501 Version of the Study Guide
The CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
Network with Demilitarized Zone
The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a buffered zone between a private network and the Internet. Attackers seek out servers on the Internet, so any server placed directly on the Internet has the highest amount of risk. However, the DMZ provides a layer of protection for these Internet-facing servers.
As an example, the following figure shows a common network configuration with a DMZ. The DMZ is the area between the two firewalls (FW1 and FW2) and hosts several Internet-facing servers. Many DMZs have two firewalls creating a buffer zone between the Internet and the internal network, as shown in the figure, though other configurations are possible.
Network with DMZ
In this configuration, one firewall separates the DMZ from the Internet. The second firewall separates the DMZ from the internal network. Each firewall includes detailed rules designed to filter traffic and protect both the internal network and the public servers. One way of saying this is that the DMZ provides access to the services hosted in the DMZ, while segmenting access to the internal network.
For example, FW1 can have rules to allow traffic to the servers in the DMZ, but block unsolicited traffic to FW2. The mail server would send and receive email to other email servers on the Internet through port 25 of FW1, and also send and receive email to internal clients through port 25 on FW2. The web server hosts web pages to any Internet users through ports 80 and 443 on FW1, but FW2 blocks these ports. The CA server validates certificates for Internet clients by answering through FW1.
Notice in the previous figure that the intranet includes a database server. The web server may use this to create web pages for an e-commerce site. It could hold product data, customer data, and much more. FW2 allows traffic between the web server (and only the web server) and the database server on port 1433. FW2 would block all other Internet traffic to the database server.
The DMZ can host any Internet-facing server, not just those shown in the figure. Other examples include FTP servers used for uploading and downloading files and virtual private network (VPN) servers used for providing remote access.
Remember this
A DMZ is a buffer zone between the Internet and an internal network. It allows access to services while segmenting access to the internal network. In other words, Internet clients can access the services hosted on servers in the DMZ, but the DMZ provides a layer of protection for the internal network.
SY0-501 Full Security+ Course
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CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
- Introduction
- About the exam (including information on the number of questions, test duration, passing score, types of questions and more. Also includes a listing of the exam objectives)
- 75 question pre-assessment exam
- Mastering Security Basics (full content from Chapter 1 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Understanding Identity and Access Management (full content from Chapter 2 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Exploring Network Technologies and Tools (full content from Chapter 3 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Securing Your Network (full content from Chapter 4 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Securing Hosts and Data (full content from Chapter 5 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Comparing Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Common Attacks (full content from Chapter 6 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Protecting Against Advanced Attacks (full content from Chapter 7 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Using Risk Management Tools (full content from Chapter 8 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Implementing Controls to Protect Assets (full content from Chapter 9 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Understanding Cryptography and PKI (full content from Chapter 10 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- Implementing Policies to Mitigate Risks (full content from Chapter 11 of the study guide including the exam topic review and 15 practice test questions)
- 75 question post-assessment exam
- Glossary
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Access the study materials for a total of 60 days because sometimes life happens.Q. Your organization hosts a web server and wants to increase its security. You need to separate all web-facing traffic from internal network traffic. Which of the following provides the BEST solution?
A. VLAN
B. Firewall
C. DMZ
D. WAF
Answer is C. A demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a buffered zone between a private network and the Internet, and it will separate the web server’s web-facing traffic from the internal network.
You can use a virtual local area network (VLAN) to group computers together based on job function or some other administrative need, but it is created on switches in the internal network.
A firewall does provide protection for the web server, but doesn’t necessarily separate the web-facing traffic from the internal network.
A web application firewall (WAF) protects a web server from incoming attacks, but it does not necessarily separate Internet and internal network traffic.
