ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)Network SecurityEasy
A security auditor is reviewing a company's remote access solution. They note that employees connect to the internal network using a client application that encrypts all traffic and creates a secure tunnel over the public internet. What type of remote access technology is most likely being utilized?
- AFile Transfer Protocol (FTP)
- BRemote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
- CVirtual Private Network (VPN)
- DSecure Shell (SSH)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
VPNs are designed to create secure, encrypted tunnels over public networks like the internet, allowing remote users to access internal resources as if they were on the local network.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. FTP is for transferring files and is inherently insecure without additional encryption (like SFTP or FTPS).
- B. RDP allows remote control of a desktop but doesn't inherently create a secure tunnel for all network traffic.
- D. SSH provides a secure channel over an unsecured network for specific services like remote command-line access or file transfer, not general network access.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A technology that creates a secure, encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the internet, allowing remote users to access private network resources.
- Encrypts data between the client and the VPN server.
- Creates a 'tunnel' for secure communication.
- Allows remote users to appear as if they are physically on the corporate network.
Memory trick: VPN Vaults Vital, RDP Runs Remote, SSH Secures Shells, FTP Fetches Files.