What is a significant challenge when using a Stateless Packet Filter?

The chosen answer highlights a key characteristic of Stateless Packet Filters. These types of filters operate at the network layer by examining each packet in isolation rather than considering the connection state. This means they cannot recognize whether a packet is part of an existing connection or a new one. As a result, Stateless Packet Filters cannot track the state of connections, making them less effective in managing network security for dynamic and stateful protocols where connection context is crucial.

This limitation means that they may inadvertently allow packets from malicious connections that a Stateful Packet Filter could recognize and block, since the Stateless Packet Filter lacks the capability to correlate related packets based on their connection state. Overall, this inability to track connection states is a significant challenge in ensuring robust security, as it increases the risk of unauthorized access and vulnerabilities being exploited.

Other choices address aspects related to configuration, maintenance, and response times, but they do not capture the fundamental limitation inherent to Stateless Packet Filters in terms of state tracking.