Cisco Cyber Security Practice Exam 2026 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

A stateless firewall operates by examining packets in isolation, using predefined rules to determine whether to allow or deny traffic. This type of firewall makes decisions based only on the individual packet headers without considering the state of the connections or the context of the traffic. It relies on basic filtering mechanisms such as source and destination IP addresses and port numbers. This simplicity allows for quick processing but can be less secure since it does not account for the entire communication session, making it suitable for less complex or high-throughput environments.

In contrast, a content-filtering firewall focuses on evaluating content and data transmitted over the network, filtering traffic based on predefined content rules. Next-generation firewalls provide more advanced features, including deep packet inspection, intrusion prevention, and application awareness. Web application firewalls are specifically designed to protect web applications by filtering and monitoring HTTP traffic.

By understanding the characteristics and operational principles of each type of firewall, it becomes clear why the stateless firewall is identified as one that employs basic rules to manage traffic effectively without the overhead of maintaining session state.