Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) CybersecurityNetwork SecurityMedium
A security team is implementing a new policy that requires all network traffic between internal servers in different data center segments to be encrypted and authenticated. This ensures both confidentiality and integrity of data in transit within the private network. Which protocol is best suited for this requirement?
- AIPsec
- BHTTPS
- CSSH
- DSSL/TLS
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. IPsec
IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) operates at the network layer and provides comprehensive security services, including encryption, authentication, and integrity, for IP packets. It is ideal for securing traffic between network devices or segments, as required for server-to-server communication in a data center.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. HTTPS uses SSL/TLS to secure HTTP traffic and is application-specific, not for general network-layer encryption between data center segments.
- C. SSH is primarily for secure remote command-line access and file transfers, not general network traffic encryption between servers.
- D. SSL/TLS primarily secures application-layer traffic (e.g., web browsers, email clients) and is typically used for client-server, not general server-to-server segment traffic.
IPsec (Internet Protocol Security)
IPsec is a suite of protocols operating at the network layer that provides security services such as authentication, integrity, and confidentiality for IP communications.
- Operates at the Network Layer (Layer 3)
- Provides confidentiality, integrity, authentication
- Commonly used for VPNs and securing network segments
Memory trick: IPsec secures the entire packet, not just the payload.