Quick Answer
The correct answer is placing the IDS/IPS inside the firewall on the DMZ. This placement is most effective for SQL injection detection because SQL injection attacks exploit application-layer vulnerabilities in web services, and the DMZ is precisely where those web servers reside. By positioning the sensor behind the firewall, it inspects traffic that has already passed initial access controls, allowing it to focus on decrypted HTTP/HTTPS payloads for malicious SQL patterns without being overwhelmed by general internet noise. On the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam, this question tests your understanding of defense-in-depth and sensor placement trade-offs—a common trap is choosing “outside the firewall,” which would drown the sensor in irrelevant traffic, or “inside the internal network,” which misses attacks before they reach the DMZ. Remember the memory tip: “DMZ for the web, inside the firewall for the inspection.”
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of network intrusion analysis. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network administrator wants to detect SQL injection attacks against web servers. Which type of IDS/IPS sensor placement would be most effective?
Outside the firewall
Why wrong: Would see raw internet traffic, not focused on DMZ servers.
At the core switch
Why wrong: May not have clear visibility into DMZ traffic.
On the internal network
Why wrong: Would miss attacks to DMZ servers.
Inside the firewall on the DMZ
Monitors traffic to web servers after firewall filtering, reducing noise.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Inside the firewall on the DMZ
Option D is correct because placing the IDS/IPS inside the firewall on the DMZ allows it to inspect traffic that has already passed the firewall's initial access controls but is still destined for the web servers. SQL injection attacks target application-layer vulnerabilities in web services, and the DMZ is the network segment where these servers reside. This placement ensures the sensor can analyze decrypted HTTP/HTTPS payloads for malicious SQL patterns without being overwhelmed by general internet noise, while the firewall provides a first line of defense against non-web threats.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Outside the firewall
Why it's wrong here
Would see raw internet traffic, not focused on DMZ servers.
At the core switch
Why it's wrong here
May not have clear visibility into DMZ traffic.
On the internal network
Why it's wrong here
Would miss attacks to DMZ servers.
Inside the firewall on the DMZ
Why this is correct
Monitors traffic to web servers after firewall filtering, reducing noise.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that placing the IDS/IPS outside the firewall provides the best visibility, but the trap is that this ignores the need to filter out irrelevant traffic and focus on the specific segment (DMZ) where the targeted servers and their application-layer vulnerabilities exist.
Detailed technical explanation
In practice, a DMZ IDS/IPS sensor should be configured with application-layer signatures (e.g., Snort rules for 'OR 1=1' or 'UNION SELECT') and may need SSL/TLS decryption via a proxy or SSL inspection appliance to analyze encrypted SQL injection attempts. The sensor's placement also enables it to correlate with firewall logs for a complete attack chain, and in high-availability setups, it can be deployed inline as an IPS to drop malicious packets before they reach the web server's application stack.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Network Intrusion Analysis — This question tests Network Intrusion Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Inside the firewall on the DMZ — Option D is correct because placing the IDS/IPS inside the firewall on the DMZ allows it to inspect traffic that has already passed the firewall's initial access controls but is still destined for the web servers. SQL injection attacks target application-layer vulnerabilities in web services, and the DMZ is the network segment where these servers reside. This placement ensures the sensor can analyze decrypted HTTP/HTTPS payloads for malicious SQL patterns without being overwhelmed by general internet noise, while the firewall provides a first line of defense against non-web threats.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.
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