Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

Which technique is used to isolate networks and enforce strong access control mechanisms?

1. DMZ

2. Zones and conduits

3. Network segmentation

4. Traffic filtering

The correct answer is: Zones and conduits

The technique that is used to isolate networks and enforce strong access control mechanisms is network segmentation. This approach involves dividing a larger network into smaller, discrete segments or subnets. Each segment can be secured individually, which helps in minimizing exposure to unauthorized access and containing potential breaches. By controlling traffic between these segments, organizations can better enforce security policies, ensuring that sensitive data and resources are only accessible to authorized users. Implementing network segmentation reduces the attack surface by limiting lateral movement within the network. If an attacker gains access to one segment, they're less likely to easily infiltrate other segments, thus protecting critical systems and data assets. Moreover, network segmentation aids in compliance with regulations and helps in monitoring specific segments for unusual activities. While a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is designed to isolate external-facing services from the internal network, it is just one form of segmentation and doesn't encompass all aspects of access control that broader network segmentation can achieve. Similarly, traffic filtering focuses on controlling data packets that pass through the network rather than the structural isolation that segmentation provides. Therefore, network segmentation is the most comprehensive technique for achieving isolation and access control.