In what way can firewalls use threat intelligence to improve security?

Firewalls can significantly enhance security by utilizing threat intelligence to improve their response to known attacks. Threat intelligence involves the collection and analysis of information regarding potential threats or vulnerabilities. By integrating this intelligence, firewalls can recognize patterns, identify malicious activities, and respond to attacks that have been previously documented.

When a firewall is equipped with up-to-date threat intelligence, it can anticipate potential threats and react more quickly and effectively. For example, if a new vulnerability in a common software package is identified, firewalls that utilize threat intelligence can immediately implement rules to block malicious traffic that exploits that vulnerability or alert security teams about the impending threat. This proactive approach to defense strengthens the overall security posture of the network.

In contrast, the other options do not directly relate to how threat intelligence enhances a firewall's ability to manage and respond to security threats. Upgrading hardware and enabling software updates improve the overall functionality and performance but do not specifically enhance threat response capability in the way threat intelligence does. Providing customer service support is important for user experience but does not contribute to the technical security improvements that threat intelligence offers.