Which solution can inspect higher-level protocols to provide more granular protection against malicious traffic?

The solution that can inspect higher-level protocols to provide more granular protection against malicious traffic is the next-generation firewall (NGFW). NGFWs go beyond traditional firewall functionalities by incorporating advanced features such as deep packet inspection, intelligence about applications, and the ability to analyze traffic at the application layer. This allows them to identify and filter traffic based on specific characteristics of the protocols being used, rather than just looking at basic header information or port numbers.

This capability to inspect and manage traffic at a more granular level means NGFWs can detect and prevent sophisticated attacks that may use standard protocols for communication. For example, they can analyze HTTP or HTTPS traffic to identify malicious payloads even if they are concealed within standard data streams. Such features position NGFWs as crucial components in modern cybersecurity strategies, as they provide a more effective means of defending against a range of threats that exploit higher-level protocols.

While other solutions like NAC (Network Access Control) primarily focus on controlling access to the network, DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) is designed to secure the integrity of DNS data, and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are used to secure connections and privacy, none of these solutions are comparable to NGFWs in terms of their ability to provide granular and