Final answer:
External monitoring aims to maintain comprehensive awareness of an organization's networks, information systems, and security defenses to prevent data breaches and other cybersecurity threats.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary goal of external monitoring is encapsulated in the fourth option: All of the above. This includes maintaining an informed awareness of the state of all of the organization's networks, information systems, and information security defenses. In the context of computer and technology, external monitoring serves as a critical component in ensuring online privacy and security. It helps organizations to identify and mitigate various cybersecurity threats, by constantly observing and evaluating their networks, systems, and defenses for any signs of vulnerability or compromise.
Recent incidents involving substantial data breaches at major companies highlight the increasing importance of robust monitoring systems. However, the effectiveness and implementation of these systems can be influenced by conflicts between the ideal scenarios of monitoring and the practical realities such as financial constraints, technical difficulties, and perceptions of relevancy in terms of resource management and security.