Which configuration mode offers the highest level of protection in Sophos XG Firewall?

Active mode offers the highest level of protection in Sophos XG Firewall because it processes traffic at the network level and can take action based on real-time analysis of the data packets. This mode enables the firewall to apply various security policies, including intrusion prevention, web filtering, and application control, thus providing comprehensive security measures against a wide range of threats.

In this mode, the firewall is fully engaged in analyzing and controlling the data that passes through it, allowing it to detect and respond to malicious activities effectively. Additionally, Active mode can perform deep packet inspection, which helps in identifying and blocking sophisticated attacks that might bypass other levels of security.

While the other modes, such as log mode, application control mode, and transparent mode, have their strengths, they do not provide the same level of active interference and inspection capabilities as Active mode. Log mode mainly focuses on logging traffic for analysis, application control mode prioritizes managing applications, and transparent mode operates in a way that makes the firewall less involved in the packet flow, which can limit its ability to enforce security measures thoroughly.