Explanation
Directory traversal is an attack that exploits a vulnerability in a web application or a file system to access files or directories that are outside the intended scope. The attacker can use special characters, such as .../ or ...\ , to navigate through the directory structure and access restricted files or directories.

Explanation
Symmetric encryption allows data to be encrypted and decrypted using the same key. This is useful when the data needs to be accessed and manipulated while still encrypted. References: CompTIA Security+ Study Guide, Exam SY0-601, Chapter 6

Explanation
To protect the servers in the company's DMZ from external attack due to the new vulnerability in the SMB protocol on the Windows systems, the security administrator should block TCP ports 139 and 445 for all external inbound connections to the DMZ.
SMB uses TCP port 139 and 445. Blocking these ports will prevent external attackers from exploiting the vulnerability in SMB protocol on Windows systems.
Blocking TCP ports 139 and 445 for all external inbound connections to the DMZ can help protect the servers, as these ports are used by SMB protocol. Port 135 is also associated with SMB, but it is not commonly used.
Ports 143 and 161 are associated with other protocols and services. Reference: CompTIA Security+ Certification Exam Objectives, Exam SY0-601, 1.4 Compare and contrast network architecture and technologies.

Explanation
A log collector is a component that forwards the logs from all security devices to a central source. A log collector can be a software tool or a hardware appliance that collects logs from various sources, such as firewalls, routers, servers, applications, or endpoints. A log collector can also perform functions such as log filtering, parsing, aggregation, normalization, and enrichment. A log collector can help centralize logging by sending the collected logs to a central log server or a security information and event management (SIEM) system for further analysis and correlation.
References: https://www.comptia.org/certifications/security#examdetails
https://www.comptia.org/content/guides/comptia-security-sy0-601-exam-objectives
https://geekflare.com/open-source-centralized-logging/

Explanation
Detailed Explanation: The attack being attempted is directory traversal, which is a web application attack that allows an attacker to access files and directories outside of the web root directory. A WAF can help mitigate this attack by detecting and blocking attempts to access files outside of the web root directory.
References: CompTIA Security+ Study Guide: Exam SY0-601, Chapter 4: Securing Application Development and Deployment, p. 191