- A
DMZ
A DMZ is designed to host public-facing services with controlled access.
- B
Micro-segmentation
Why wrong: Micro-segmentation is fine-grained isolation, but DMZ is more appropriate for public servers.
- C
VPN
Why wrong: VPNs provide encrypted remote access, not public server isolation.
- D
VLAN
Why wrong: VLANs provide logical segmentation but are not specifically designed for public access.
Question 272 of 1,000
CISSP Communication and Network Security Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of communication and network security. 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.
An organization is implementing network segmentation. They need to place publicly accessible servers (e.g., web and email) in a separate network that is isolated from the internal LAN but still allows controlled access from the internet. Which architecture should they use?
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 internet and the internal LAN, hosting publicly accessible servers like web and email. It uses firewall rules to allow inbound traffic from the internet to the DMZ servers while blocking direct access to the internal network, and typically permits only specific outbound responses or updates from the DMZ to the internal LAN. This architecture provides the isolation and controlled access required by the scenario.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
DMZ
Why this is correct
A DMZ is designed to host public-facing services with controlled access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Micro-segmentation
Why it's wrong here
Micro-segmentation is fine-grained isolation, but DMZ is more appropriate for public servers.
- ✗
VPN
Why it's wrong here
VPNs provide encrypted remote access, not public server isolation.
- ✗
VLAN
Why it's wrong here
VLANs provide logical segmentation but are not specifically designed for public access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse VLANs with DMZs, assuming that a VLAN alone provides security isolation from the internet, when in fact VLANs only segment Layer 2 traffic and require additional firewall rules to control access—unlike a DMZ which is specifically designed for public-facing servers with explicit security policies.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A DMZ typically uses a three-legged firewall architecture with separate interfaces for the internet, DMZ, and internal LAN, or a dual-firewall setup where the first firewall filters inbound traffic to the DMZ and the second firewall controls traffic from the DMZ to the internal LAN. Common protocols like HTTP/HTTPS (ports 80/443) and SMTP (port 25) are allowed inbound to the DMZ, while outbound connections from the DMZ to the internal LAN are often restricted to specific services (e.g., database updates) and may use stateful inspection or application-layer filtering. In real-world deployments, a DMZ can also be implemented using cloud-based virtual networks, such as AWS VPC with public and private subnets and security groups.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISSP question test?
Communication and Network Security — This question tests Communication and Network Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: DMZ — A DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a network segment that sits between the internet and the internal LAN, hosting publicly accessible servers like web and email. It uses firewall rules to allow inbound traffic from the internet to the DMZ servers while blocking direct access to the internal network, and typically permits only specific outbound responses or updates from the DMZ to the internal LAN. This architecture provides the isolation and controlled access required by the scenario.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CISSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CISSP exam.
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