Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A security team wants device administrators to log in with individual named accounts instead of sharing one generic admin account. Which security objective does that most directly improve?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Accountability for administrative actions
This is correct because individual accounts make it easier to tie actions to specific administrators.
B
Distractor review
Automatic VLAN assignment for management traffic
This is wrong because named accounts do not directly assign VLANs.
C
Distractor review
Route summarization efficiency
This is wrong because account identity is unrelated to routing summarization.
D
Distractor review
Wireless roaming performance
This is wrong because administrative account design does not improve AP roaming behavior.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is selecting options unrelated to user identity and accountability, such as VLAN assignment or routing efficiency, because they sound like valid network improvements. However, these options do not address the core security goal of tracking who performed administrative actions. Candidates might also confuse accountability with performance or configuration optimization objectives, which are important but distinct. The key is to focus on the security principle that individual named accounts enable precise attribution of actions, which shared accounts cannot provide. This distinction is critical for Cisco’s security fundamentals domain and the CCNA exam.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Accountability in network security refers to the ability to trace actions and changes back to the individual responsible. In Cisco device administration, using individual named accounts instead of a shared generic admin account enables precise tracking of who performed specific configuration changes or administrative tasks. This is critical for auditing, troubleshooting, and forensic analysis, ensuring that every administrative action is attributable to a unique identity. Cisco IOS and other network operating systems support role-based access control and user authentication mechanisms such as AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting). When administrators log in with unique credentials, the system logs their activities with their username, improving security posture by preventing anonymous or untraceable changes. This practice aligns with security best practices and compliance requirements, which emphasize accountability and traceability. A common exam trap is confusing accountability with other security objectives like VLAN assignment or routing efficiency, which are unrelated to user identity management. Practically, shared accounts obscure who made changes, complicating incident response and increasing risk. Cisco devices log administrative actions tied to usernames, so individual accounts provide clear audit trails, supporting operational security and compliance frameworks.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Individual named accounts on Cisco devices enable precise tracking of administrative actions for accountability and auditing purposes.
- Cisco’s AAA framework supports authentication and accounting, which logs user activities tied to unique usernames.
- Shared generic admin accounts obscure the identity of the person performing configuration changes, reducing security visibility.
- Accountability improves operational security by allowing organizations to investigate and attribute changes to specific administrators.
- Using individual accounts aligns with compliance requirements that mandate traceability of administrative access and actions.
- Accountability is distinct from network performance or configuration optimization objectives like VLAN assignment or route summarization.
- Cisco devices log administrative commands and changes with the username, enabling detailed audit trails for security reviews.
- Implementing individual accounts supports better access control hygiene and reduces the risk of unauthorized or untraceable changes.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
Individual named accounts on Cisco devices enable precise tracking of administrative actions for accountability and auditing purposes.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Accountability for administrative actions — It most directly improves accountability. In practical terms, when each administrator has an individual account, the organization can tie actions to specific people rather than to one shared identity. That makes investigation, auditing, and operational review much more meaningful. This also supports better access-control hygiene overall, but the clearest direct benefit is being able to identify who actually performed an administrative action.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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