Which term denotes a device exposed to untrusted networks, potentially performing firewall duties but primarily serving as a hardened gateway?

Which term denotes a device exposed to untrusted networks, potentially performing firewall duties but primarily serving as a hardened gateway?

• A. Bastion Host
• B. Extranet
• C. Data Interface
• D. DMZ

Answer: (A)

A bastion host is a specially hardened device placed at the network edge where it faces untrusted networks, such as the internet. Its primary role is to act as a gateway that withstands attacks, with minimal services running and strict access controls, while still handling external connections. It may incorporate firewall and proxy capabilities, but its main purpose is to securely gate access to the internal network rather than serve as a general-purpose server. This contrasts with a DMZ, which is a network segment or zone, not a single device; extranet refers to extending access to external partners, not a specific host; and data interface isn’t a standard security term for a device.

A bastion host is a specially hardened device placed at the network edge where it faces untrusted networks, such as the internet. Its primary role is to act as a gateway that withstands attacks, with minimal services running and strict access controls, while still handling external connections. It may incorporate firewall and proxy capabilities, but its main purpose is to securely gate access to the internal network rather than serve as a general-purpose server. This contrasts with a DMZ, which is a network segment or zone, not a single device; extranet refers to extending access to external partners, not a specific host; and data interface isn’t a standard security term for a device.