13. A company's network is experiencing high levels of suspicious network traffic. The security team finds that the traffic is coming from an unknown, foreign IP address. Which of the following is the most cost-efficient way to mitigate this threat?
Answer: A
Implementing an Access Control List (ACL) is the most cost-efficient way to mitigate this threat.
An Access Control List (ACL) can effectively filter and restrict traffic based on specified rules, allowing the security team to block the suspicious traffic from the unknown foreign IP address without incurring significant costs.
A) ACL
Access Control Lists (ACLs) are a fundamental network security measure that allows administrators to define rules for permitting or denying traffic based on IP addresses. By implementing an ACL, the security team can quickly block the identified suspicious IP address, thereby preventing any further malicious activity without the need for expensive hardware or complex solutions.
B) IDS
An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) monitors network traffic for suspicious activities but does not actively block or filter traffic. While it can alert the security team to potential threats, it does not provide a cost-efficient means of mitigating the immediate issue of suspicious traffic, as it requires additional resources and may not prevent the traffic from reaching the network.
C) NAT
Network Address Translation (NAT) is primarily used for conserving IP addresses and enabling private networks to connect to the internet. It does not inherently provide security against malicious traffic. Therefore, using NAT would not effectively address the specific threat posed by the suspicious foreign IP address and would not be a cost-efficient solution.
D) DoS prevention
Denial of Service (DoS) prevention measures are designed to mitigate attacks that aim to overwhelm network resources, rather than specifically targeting suspicious traffic from a foreign IP. While important, DoS prevention solutions can be costly and are not directly applicable to the scenario of blocking a single malicious IP address, making them less suitable for this situation.
Conclusion
Implementing an Access Control List (ACL) is the most targeted and cost-efficient method to address the suspicious traffic issue, allowing for immediate action against the identified threat. In contrast, the other options either do not provide a direct solution to the problem or involve higher costs without effectively mitigating the immediate risk.