Which type of firewall is specifically known for filtering traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols without tracking connection states?

The type of firewall that filters traffic based solely on IP addresses, ports, and protocols, without maintaining any awareness of connection states, is indeed referred to as a stateless firewall. Stateless firewalls analyze incoming and outgoing packets independently, making filtering decisions based on predetermined rules defined for the packet attributes. This means they do not retain any information about ongoing conversations or sessions, which distinguishes them from stateful firewalls that track the state of active connections.

Stateful firewalls, in contrast, are designed to remember the state of network connections, allowing them to make more intelligent decisions based on the context of the traffic flow. Next Generation Firewalls incorporate advanced features such as deep packet inspection and intrusion prevention, while proxy firewalls act as intermediaries between clients and servers, often performing additional functions like content filtering or authentication. However, none of these alternatives operate without tracking connection states like a stateless firewall does.