Which feature of ESXi helps to minimize the risk of attacks through the management interface?

The host-based firewall is a critical feature of ESXi that helps minimize the risk of attacks through the management interface. This firewall specifically controls the incoming and outgoing traffic to the ESXi host, allowing administrators to define rules that tightly control which types of traffic are permitted. By restricting access to only necessary management services and ports, the likelihood of unauthorized access or attacks targeting the management interface is significantly reduced.

With a properly configured host-based firewall, administrators can enforce security policies that protect against various types of network threats. This feature is essential, especially in environments where management interfaces need to be accessed remotely or over untrusted networks. By blocking unwanted traffic and allowing only authorized connections, the host-based firewall enhances the security posture of the ESXi environment.

While other features like network segmentation, end-user authentication, and logging and monitoring also contribute to a secure environment, they do not directly address the filtering of traffic to and from the management interface in the same way that a host-based firewall does.