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SSCP Practice Question: A company implements a DMZ to host public services
A company implements a DMZ to host public services. Which of the following is the best practice for securing the DMZ?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the DMZ's placement (thinking it should be behind the internal firewall for extra protection) with the need for separate rule sets, but the correct placement is between two firewalls (or a single firewall with three interfaces) with distinct inbound and outbound rules to enforce isolation.
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
✓
Use separate firewall rules for inbound and outbound traffic
DMZ security relies on strict separation of inbound and outbound traffic rules. Inbound rules should permit only necessary traffic (e.g., HTTP/HTTPS to web servers) from the internet to the DMZ, while outbound rules should restrict DMZ-initiated connections to the internal network, typically allowing only established sessions or specific protocols. This prevents an attacker who compromises a DMZ host from using it as a pivot to access internal resources.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Allow all traffic from the internet to the DMZ
Why it's wrong here
This would expose DMZ to unrestricted access.
- ✗
Disable logging on DMZ firewalls
Why it's wrong here
Logging is critical for incident detection.
- ✓
Use separate firewall rules for inbound and outbound traffic
Why this is correct
Allows strict control over traffic flows.
- ✗
Place the DMZ behind the internal firewall
Why it's wrong here
DMZ should be separated from internal network by firewalls.
- ✗
Use the same subnet for DMZ and internal network
Why it's wrong here
This bypasses segmentation.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.