CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What device is inserted into the traffic flow, terminating connections and monitoring traffic?

1. proxy

2. router

3. switch

4. firewall

The correct answer is: proxy

The choice of a proxy is correct because a proxy server functions as an intermediary between users and the services they access on the internet. By being inserted into the traffic flow, a proxy can receive requests from clients, terminate those connections, and then establish a new connection to the desired server on behalf of the client. This allows it to monitor and filter traffic for security, logging, or caching purposes. Proxies also provide additional functionalities, such as content filtering and anonymity for users. They can analyze and manipulate traffic before it reaches its final destination, making them a critical component in managing and securing network traffic. Other devices like routers and switches typically do not terminate connections; instead, they direct and route traffic between different networks without necessarily monitoring or filtering it. Routers operate at the network layer, ensuring data packets reach their correct destination, while switches function at the data link layer to direct traffic within a local area network. Firewalls are primarily focused on securing the network by controlling incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules; while they do monitor traffic, they do not inherently act as intermediaries like proxies do.