Which statement is true regarding the processing of Firewall NAT rules?

The correct statement about the processing of Firewall NAT rules is that they process only the first packet of each connection. This is because NAT (Network Address Translation) typically needs to modify the first packet of a connection, where the source or destination IP address and ports need to be translated. After the initial packet has been processed, the subsequent packets of that same connection can be handled by the connection tracking system, which maintains the state of the connection and does not require further NAT processing for later packets.

In practical terms, this behavior enhances efficiency since NAT rules do not need to re-evaluate every packet, which would be computationally intensive and could introduce unnecessary delays. The initial packet processing sets the parameters for the connection, allowing the router to handle the remaining packets through an established session.