The first line of defense against attacks from the internet is which type of firewall?

The first line of defense against attacks from the internet is a hardware firewall. Hardware firewalls are physical devices positioned at the network perimeter, acting as a gatekeeper to monitor and control incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules. By filtering out potentially harmful traffic before it reaches the internal network, hardware firewalls help to protect systems from unauthorized access, malware, and various types of cyber attacks.

Their strategic placement means they can handle large volumes of traffic and provide protection for all devices on the network simultaneously. This makes them a crucial component in a multi-layered security approach, adding a robust layer of defense by isolating the internal network from potentially harmful external connections.

In contrast, options such as virus software and Radius servers have different roles: virus software focuses on detecting and removing malware already on the system rather than preventing attacks from the outside, and Radius servers are used for network authentication and accounting but are not primary defenses against internet attacks. Each of these plays an important role in a comprehensive security strategy, but they do not serve as the initial barrier against external threats in the way a hardware firewall does.