Which statement best describes how a network-based malware protection feature detects a possible event?

The statement that best describes how a network-based malware protection feature detects a possible event is:

“Malware can be detected correctly by using reputation databases on both the firewall and/or from the cloud.”

This statement describes a common method for detecting malware that relies on reputation databases, which may be stored locally on a firewall or accessed from the cloud. These databases contain information about known malware signatures, URLs, IP addresses, and other attributes associated with malicious activity. When network traffic is analyzed by the firewall, it can check these attributes against the reputation databases to identify potential malware.

The other statements have the following issues:

• “Using virus signature files locally on the firewall, it will detect incorrect MD5 file hashes.”
  • While virus signature files are used to detect known malware, the statement about detecting “incorrect MD5 file hashes” is misleading. Malware detection does not typically focus on the correctness of an MD5 hash but rather on whether the hash matches a known malware signature.
• “The firewall applies broad-based application and file control policies to detect malware.”
  • This statement is somewhat true; however, it’s a general description of what a firewall might do and does not specifically describe the mechanism of malware detection. Application and file control policies are part of the process but do not directly explain how malware is identified.
• “IDS signature files that are located on the firewall are used to detect the presence of malware.”
  • Intrusion Detection System (IDS) signature files are indeed used to detect a variety of threats, including malware. However, they are generally part of a broader intrusion detection approach rather than a specific malware protection feature.
• “Malware can be detected and stopped by using ACLs and the modular policy framework within the firewall appliance.”
  • Access Control Lists (ACLs) and modular policy frameworks are used to enforce security policies and control traffic. While they can be configured to block traffic from known malicious sources, they are not inherently capable of detecting malware, which typically requires more sophisticated analysis such as signature or behavior-based detection.