Final answer:
A transparent firewall operates at Layer 2, does not act as a hop, and its interfaces connect to the same network segment. In contrast, a stateful or packet-filtering firewall operates at Layer 3, does count as a hop, and has interfaces on different networks.
Step-by-step explanation:
Matching Firewall Types with Characteristics
In the context of network security, firewalls can operate at different layers of the OSI model and exhibit various characteristics depending on the type. Below are the match-ups of firewall types with their associated characteristics:
- Operates at Layer 2 - This typically refers to a transparent firewall, also known as a bridge firewall. A transparent firewall operates in a way that it does not count as a hop in the network and is not seen as a router by connected devices. Each interface is connected to the same network segment.
- Operates at Layer 3 - This would be a stateful firewall or a packet-filtering firewall. Such firewalls operate at the network layer and make routing decisions. They count as a hop in the path between hosts and each interface connects to a different network.
To summarize:
- A transparent firewall (Layer 2) does not count as a hop and has interfaces on the same network segment.
- A stateful or packet-filtering firewall (Layer 3) counts as a hop and has interfaces on different networks.