100-150 Question 268
Single answerA company has deployed a firewall to protect its internal network. The network administrator notices that employees are unable to access a web application hosted on an external server using HTTPS. Upon investigation, it is determined that the firewall is blocking the required traffic. Which firewall rule should the administrator implement to resolve the issue while maintaining security?
- A
Permit TCP traffic on port 443 to the external server's IP address
- B
Permit UDP traffic on port 443 to the external server's IP address
- C
Permit TCP traffic on port 80 to the external server's IP address
- D
Permit all traffic to the external server's IP address
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
To allow access to the web application over HTTPS, the firewall must permit TCP traffic on port 443, which is the standard port for secure web communications. Configuring a rule that specifically permits this type of traffic to the external server's IP address ensures that the application is accessible without compromising network security by allowing unnecessary traffic.
- A. Correct.
This is the correct rule because HTTPS traffic uses TCP on port 443. Allowing this ensures the web application can be accessed securely.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because HTTPS traffic does not use UDP on port 443. HTTPS relies on TCP for reliable communication.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because port 80 is used for HTTP (unencrypted) traffic, not HTTPS. Allowing this would not resolve the issue with accessing the HTTPS web application.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because permitting all traffic is unnecessary and exposes the network to potential threats. A specific rule targeting HTTPS traffic is sufficient.