What is the main function of an application firewall?

• A. Route traffic between networks.
• B. Encrypts all communications automatically.
• C. Monitor and block communications based on a configured policy.
• D. Provide DNS resolution.

Answer: (C)

The main function is to monitor and block communications based on a configured policy. An application firewall examines traffic at the application layer, so it can identify which application is generating traffic and enforce rules accordingly. This allows it to permit or deny traffic, or even modify it, based on specific criteria like the application type, user identity, URL requests, or content patterns. This fine-grained control helps protect against application‑level threats and enforce access policies. It isn’t primarily responsible for routing between networks, encrypting all communications, or providing DNS resolution, which are handled by other components or services.