Which network defense function is associated with caching and anonymizing user requests?

• A. Encrypt traffic between two endpoints.
• B. Distributes traffic across servers.
• C. Cache and anonymize requests.
• D. Detects intrusions and alerts.

Answer: (C)

Caching and anonymizing user requests is the function of a proxy in the network defense stack. A caching proxy stores copies of frequently requested resources so that subsequent requests can be served quickly, reducing latency and bandwidth usage. At the same time, an anonymizing proxy forwards user requests while masking the user’s IP address and other identifying details, helping protect privacy and limiting exposure of internal network structure. Together, these capabilities describe a proxy’s role in both performance optimization and user anonymity, which is why this option is the best fit. Other functions described—encrypting traffic between endpoints, distributing traffic across servers, and detecting intrusions and alerting—correspond to secure channels (TLS/VPN), load balancing, and intrusion detection respectively, not caching and anonymization.