What can Network Access Protection (NAP) enforce regarding client computers?

Network Access Protection (NAP) is a networking architecture designed by Microsoft that enables client computers to be assessed for compliance with specific health requirements before gaining access to network resources. One of the primary health requirements that NAP can enforce is the presence of a firewall on client computers.

Firewalls are critical security tools that monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. NAP can ensure that a client system has an active firewall and is configured according to the organization’s security policy. If a client does not meet this requirement, NAP can prevent it from fully accessing the network, thus helping to protect the network from vulnerabilities and potential attacks.

While the other options involve important security measures, they are not directly enforced by NAP in the same manner. For instance, restricting Internet access and updating antivirus software are valid concerns but fall outside the specific compliance check that NAP facilitates. Disabling all external drives is a useful security measure, yet NAP does not enforce this as part of its health requirements. NAP’s focus primarily revolves around validating the security posture of connections, particularly through checking whether a firewall is in place and properly configured.