Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) CybersecurityNetwork SecurityMedium
A network administrator is designing a secure network for a hospital. The design requires that all medical devices communicate only with authorized servers and are completely isolated from the internet and the general administrative network. Which network security technology would best achieve this stringent isolation while ensuring necessary internal communication?
- AAir Gap
- BNetwork Address Translation (NAT)
- CVirtual Private Network (VPN)
- DDemilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Air Gap
An air gap provides the highest level of isolation by physically separating a network from all other networks, including the internet. This ensures that medical devices cannot be accessed from external sources, fulfilling the stringent security requirement.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. NAT translates IP addresses and provides some security by hiding internal IPs, but it does not isolate networks.
- C. VPNs provide secure connections over public networks but do not offer complete physical isolation.
- D. A DMZ provides a buffer zone for public-facing services but still has connections to both the internet and the internal network.
Air Gap
A security measure that involves physically isolating a secure network or computer from unsecured networks, such as the public internet.
- Provides ultimate isolation for critical systems.
- Prevents direct electronic communication.
- Often used in industrial control systems and highly sensitive environments.
Memory trick: Air Gap: The ultimate 'no entry' sign for network traffic.