Playing with fire(walls), Question No. 5

5.) What type of firewall separates message-level security from transport-layer security?
A. XML firewall
B. e-mail firewall
C. packet-inspection firewall
D. desktop firewall

Answer from Securing Web services: A job for the XML firewall:
"The primary difference between an XML firewall and other firewalls is that much of the features in an XML firewall exist at the application layer and within the data payload or content, as opposed to the transport and session layer. Many modern XML firewalls act like high performance proxies. They can approach wire speed performance by offloading crytpo and XML validation functions to dedicated hardware. In this role, the XML firewall performs security services such as authentication, authorization, auditing (AAA) and XML validation at a message level. Features such as message routing, encryption and forwarding to diverse systems are commonplace. These features do not act as transport-level connection security like SSL. The features are a separation of message-level security from transport-level security."

MORE INFORMATION:

• Security expert Joel Snyder answers user questions on developments in firewalls.
• Web services security vendors are focusing on access control and XML firewalls.
• Here are strategies and tactics for securing Web services.

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