Dominate GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity 2026 – Unlock Your Cyber Skills!

A firewall serves the critical purpose of controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. It acts as a barrier between your internal network and external sources, ensuring that only authorized traffic is allowed while monitoring and potentially blocking unauthorized access attempts. This capability is essential in maintaining the security and integrity of a network by filtering out potentially harmful traffic and protecting against unauthorized intrusions.

While a firewall contributes to the overall security of a network, it is not specifically designed for preventing malware infections, providing antivirus protection, or managing network devices—instead, it focuses on traffic control and enforcement of access policies. Therefore, its defining function is the regulation of traffic, making option B the correct choice.