Which type of attack can a firewall help defend against?

A firewall is a network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. Firewalls are particularly effective at defending against Denial of Service (DoS) attacks because these attacks aim to overwhelm a system by flooding it with excessive traffic.

In the case of a DoS attack, the firewall can help identify and block malicious traffic patterns that exceed normal thresholds, thereby helping to maintain the availability of the network and its services. By filtering out unwanted traffic, a firewall can prevent attackers from overloading network resources, thus protecting the targeted system and ensuring that legitimate users can access the services without interruption.

Other types of attacks, such as user experience attacks, social engineering attacks, and phishing scams, often exploit human behavior or are conducted at a higher application layer where traditional firewalls may not be as effective. While firewalls do contribute to an overall security posture, their primary strength lies in handling network-level threats like DoS attacks.