Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) Practice Exam

Where is the connection data stored in a stateful inspection firewall?

1. In the system SMEM memory pool.

2. In State tables.

3. In the Sessions table.

4. In a CSV file on the firewall hard drive.

The correct answer is: In State tables.

In a stateful inspection firewall, connection data is primarily stored in state tables. State tables keep track of the state of each connection that passes through the firewall, allowing it to monitor and manage active connections. This tracking includes information about the source and destination IP addresses, ports, and the current state of the connection. State tables are crucial for ensuring security and efficient processing, as they enable the firewall to make informed decisions about whether to allow or deny traffic based on established sessions. By maintaining these tables, the firewall can distinguish between legitimate traffic and potential threats, enhancing its capability to provide security. While system SMEM memory pools, sessions tables, and CSV files may be involved in storing various types of information or logs, the direct storage of real-time connection data and the necessary context for stateful inspection is specifically managed within state tables. This is central to the operation of stateful firewalls, as they rely on maintaining the state of connections for decision-making processes.