N10-009 Network Security Practice Question
A company wants to protect its internal network by placing web servers that need to be accessible from the internet in a separate network segment. Which security architecture best describes this setup?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse a DMZ with a VPN, thinking that a VPN provides the same isolation for public servers, when in fact a VPN is designed for secure remote access to internal resources, not for hosting services accessible to the general internet.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DMZ
A DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a network segment that sits between the internal trusted network and the external untrusted internet. By placing web servers in the DMZ, the company ensures that external users can access the servers without directly exposing the internal network, as traffic must pass through a firewall that enforces strict access control policies. This architecture is specifically designed to isolate public-facing services from internal assets, reducing the attack surface.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Intranet
Why it's wrong here
An intranet is a private, internal network accessible only to an organization's employees or authorized users, primarily for internal communication and resource sharing. It is explicitly designed to be inaccessible from the public internet, making it entirely unsuitable for hosting web servers that need to be accessed by external users. Placing public-facing web servers directly on an intranet would expose the entire internal network to significant security risks.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asking which network segment is used for internal-only resources, such as internal file servers or employee portals, where no external access is required. The correct answer would be intranet.
- ✗
VPN
Why it's wrong here
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) establishes a secure, encrypted tunnel over an insecure network, like the internet, to provide remote users or branch offices with secure access to a private network. While VPNs offer secure connectivity, they are not a network segment or architectural zone for hosting public-facing servers. A VPN's primary function is secure remote access or site-to-site connectivity, not to act as a publicly accessible host environment.
When this WOULD be correct
A VPN would be correct in a question asking: 'A company needs to allow remote employees to securely access internal resources over the internet. Which technology should be implemented?'
- ✓
DMZ
Why this is correct
A DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is a perimeter network designed to expose public-facing services, such as web servers, to an untrusted network (the internet) while isolating them from the organization's private internal network. It acts as a buffer, typically secured by two firewalls, to prevent direct access from the internet to internal resources even if the public-facing server is compromised. This architecture significantly enhances security by limiting the attack surface on the core internal network.
- ✗
Extranet
Why it's wrong here
An extranet is a controlled extension of an organization's intranet that allows secure, limited access to specific external partners, vendors, or customers. It facilitates collaboration and information exchange with trusted third parties, typically requiring authentication. While it involves external access, an extranet is not designed as a general public-facing zone for anonymous internet users to access web servers; its purpose is restricted, authorized partner access, making it inappropriate for broad public web services.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asking: 'A company wants to allow its suppliers to access specific internal applications securely over the internet. Which network architecture should be used?' would make extranet correct, as it extends internal network access to authorized external entities.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The N10-009 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓DMZCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
A DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is a perimeter network designed to expose public-facing services, such as web servers, to an untrusted network (the internet) while isolating them from the organization's private internal network. It acts as a buffer, typically secured by two firewalls, to prevent direct access from the internet to internal resources even if the public-facing server is compromised. This architecture significantly enhances security by limiting the attack surface on the core internal network.
✗IntranetWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An intranet is a private network accessible only to an organization's internal users, not designed to host publicly accessible web servers. Placing internet-facing servers in an intranet would expose internal resources to external threats.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asking which network segment is used for internal-only resources, such as internal file servers or employee portals, where no external access is required. The correct answer would be intranet.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'intranet' with 'internet' or think it refers to any network segment, not realizing it specifically means an internal, private network.
✗VPNWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for remote access or site-to-site connectivity, but it does not isolate publicly accessible web servers from the internal network. The question specifically asks for a separate network segment for internet-facing servers, which is the definition of a DMZ.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A VPN would be correct in a question asking: 'A company needs to allow remote employees to securely access internal resources over the internet. Which technology should be implemented?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse VPN with network segmentation because both involve securing traffic, but VPN focuses on encryption and remote access, not physical or logical separation of public-facing servers.
✗ExtranetWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
An extranet is a controlled private network allowing external partners limited access to internal resources, not a separate network segment for publicly accessible web servers. The question describes isolating web servers in a DMZ, not providing external partner access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asking: 'A company wants to allow its suppliers to access specific internal applications securely over the internet. Which network architecture should be used?' would make extranet correct, as it extends internal network access to authorized external entities.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'extranet' with 'external network' or think it refers to any network accessible from outside, missing that extranet specifically involves controlled partner access rather than public-facing isolation.
Analysis generated from the official N10-009blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Device Hardening
Key term
Security
Security in IT is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft.
Key term
DMZ
A DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a network segment that sits between an internal private network and the public internet, hosting publicly accessible services while keeping the internal network isolated.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This N10-009 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 N10-009 exam.