What term best describes a device that monitors and blocks traffic right before it passes to the internal network?

The term that best describes a device that monitors and blocks traffic right before it passes to the internal network is "choke router." A choke router is specifically designed to serve as a choke point for incoming and outgoing network traffic, making it a strategic element in network security. It operates by filtering traffic, ensuring that only safe packets are allowed to pass through to the internal network. This proactive approach helps in detecting and preventing potential threats before they can reach sensitive internal resources.

This functionality is critical for organizations aiming to maintain robust security measures while allowing legitimate traffic access. Additionally, choke routers often incorporate intrusion detection and prevention mechanisms to enhance their ability to recognize and mitigate various network-based attacks.

The other options, while related to network security, serve different roles: a screening router primarily focuses on routing decisions based on predetermined security rules but may not provide the same level of intensive traffic monitoring as a choke router; a bastion host acts as a fortified point in a network, but it is more of a server exposed to potential attacks rather than a device primarily intended to monitor and block traffic; and a proxy server acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers, providing benefits like anonymity and caching but not specifically designed to block traffic in the way a choke