This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which THREE of the following are characteristics of Cisco TrustSec (CTS) security architecture?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It uses Security Group Tags (SGTs) to classify traffic.
C is correct because Cisco TrustSec uses Security Group Tags (SGTs) to classify traffic based on user, device, or role, rather than IP addresses. SGTs are 16-bit values (0–65535) assigned dynamically via authentication (e.g., 802.1X) or static mapping, enabling scalable policy enforcement.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
It uses IPsec to encrypt traffic between network devices.
It uses VLANs to segment traffic based on security roles.
Why it's wrong here
Segmentation is via SGTs, not VLANs.
✓
It uses Security Group Tags (SGTs) to classify traffic.
Why this is correct
SGTs are used for classification.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
It provides data confidentiality using IEEE 802.1AE (MACsec) encryption.
Why this is correct
MACsec provides link-layer encryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
It uses Security Group Access Control Lists (SGACLs) to enforce policies.
Why this is correct
SGACLs are enforced based on SGTs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that TrustSec uses VLANs or IPsec for segmentation and encryption, when in fact it uses SGTs for classification and MACsec for Layer 2 encryption.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, SGTs are propagated via Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) or inline tagging in the Ethernet frame header (Cisco proprietary metadata), allowing policy enforcement at any hop. In a real-world scenario, a hospital can assign an SGT of 'Doctor' to a user and 'Patient' to another, then apply SGACLs to permit doctor access to records while blocking patients, all without changing IP subnets or VLANs.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It uses Security Group Tags (SGTs) to classify traffic. — C is correct because Cisco TrustSec uses Security Group Tags (SGTs) to classify traffic based on user, device, or role, rather than IP addresses. SGTs are 16-bit values (0–65535) assigned dynamically via authentication (e.g., 802.1X) or static mapping, enabling scalable policy enforcement.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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