What is the primary duty of a network security officer in an organization?

• A. Configure firewalls
• B. Audit logs monthly
• C. Monitor and protect an organization's network from security threats
• D. Install antivirus on a single workstation

Answer: (C)

The main duty is to monitor and protect an organization's network from security threats. This means keeping a constant eye on network activity, detecting abnormal or unauthorized behavior, and taking action to prevent or respond to breaches. It encompasses implementing and enforcing security controls across the network, managing access, staying on top of vulnerabilities, coordinating incident response, and maintaining the overall security posture through monitoring, defense-in-depth, and policy enforcement.

While configuring firewalls is an important tool in safeguarding the network, it is one specific control rather than the overarching responsibility. Auditing logs monthly is a routine security operation that supports detection, but it’s just one workload within continuous monitoring. Installing antivirus on a single workstation is an endpoint task and focuses narrowly on one device rather than the network as a whole. The network security officer oversees the broader program: continuous monitoring, threat prevention, incident response, and security governance across the entire network.