What is the primary function of a firewall in cloud security?

The primary function of a firewall in cloud security is to limit communications based on specific criteria. Firewalls act as a barrier between trusted internal networks and untrusted external networks, monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic. They enforce security policies by applying rules that determine what traffic is permitted or denied; for instance, they may block unauthorized access attempts while allowing legitimate communication.

By inspecting the packets of data being transmitted, firewalls can identify and filter out potentially harmful traffic, thus protecting cloud-based resources from various threats such as unauthorized access, malware, and other vulnerabilities. This control over network traffic is essential for safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining compliance with security regulations.

Other options provided do not accurately represent the primary role of a firewall in cloud security. While data encryption is crucial for securing information, it is a distinct function typically performed by encryption tools and protocols, not by a firewall. Network speed tests are unrelated to security functions, focusing instead on the performance of a network, and a storage solution refers to systems for saving data securely, which also falls outside the scope of a firewall’s primary functions.