In order to conduct SSL inspection effectively, how must the firewall's SSL inspection profile be configured?

To conduct SSL inspection effectively, enabling certificate validation within the SSL inspection profile is essential. This feature allows the firewall to verify the authenticity of the SSL certificates presented by the servers during the handshake process. By validating certificates, the firewall ensures it is establishing secure connections with legitimate and trusted entities, thus effectively mitigating threats such as man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.

When the firewall confirms that the certificate is valid, it can then decrypt and inspect the traffic for potential security threats before re-encrypting the traffic and forwarding it to its destination. This is a crucial step because, without proper certificate validation, the firewall might inadvertently establish secure sessions with malicious servers, leading to a potential compromise of network security.

In contrast, other options lack the focus needed for SSL inspection. Restricting all traffic or blocking all HTTP traffic would hinder legitimate communications and create unnecessary issues, while allowing exceptions for all traffic types could lead to gaps in security, as it may permit uninspected and potentially harmful data. Therefore, enabling certificate validation is a fundamental aspect of configuring an effective SSL inspection profile.