Which statement accurately differentiates hardware firewalls from software firewalls?

Which statement accurately differentiates hardware firewalls from software firewalls?

• A. Hardware firewalls sit between networks; software firewalls run on devices.
• B. Hardware firewalls run on devices; software firewalls sit between networks.
• C. Both types require cloud management.
• D. Hardware firewalls do not filter traffic.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is where the firewall lives and what it protects. A hardware firewall is a dedicated appliance placed at the network edge, sitting between networks, and it filters traffic that passes from one network to another. A software firewall, on the other hand, is a program installed on an individual computer or server that filters traffic to and from that specific device. This difference explains why hardware firewalls are used to enforce network-wide policies and handle traffic for many devices, while software firewalls provide protection tailored to a single host. Cloud management isn’t a defining requirement for either type, and hardware firewalls do filter traffic—that’s exactly what they’re designed to do.

The main idea is where the firewall lives and what it protects. A hardware firewall is a dedicated appliance placed at the network edge, sitting between networks, and it filters traffic that passes from one network to another. A software firewall, on the other hand, is a program installed on an individual computer or server that filters traffic to and from that specific device. This difference explains why hardware firewalls are used to enforce network-wide policies and handle traffic for many devices, while software firewalls provide protection tailored to a single host.

Cloud management isn’t a defining requirement for either type, and hardware firewalls do filter traffic—that’s exactly what they’re designed to do.