What type of inspection allows a firewall to check only headers, making it faster but potentially less thorough?

Shallow inspection refers to a type of firewall inspection that focuses primarily on packet headers rather than the entire packet content. This approach allows for quicker processing times since the firewall does not examine the full payload of the data being transmitted. While this speed can be advantageous for performance, it also means that the firewall might miss certain threats that could be hidden within the data payload itself.

This method is contrasted with deep inspection, which analyzes both the headers and the payload to identify more complex threats and ensure greater security. Shallow inspection may be sufficient for recognizing basic patterns and managing straightforward traffic, but it can leave the system vulnerable to more sophisticated attacks that require a more thorough examination of the packet contents.

Understanding the trade-offs between speed and security is crucial in network management, where balancing performance with adequate protection against vulnerabilities is a consistent challenge.