easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
350-701 Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
crypto ipsec transform-set ESP-AES256-SHA esp-aes 256 esp-sha-hmac mode tunnel crypto map CMAP 10 ipsec-isakmp set peer 10.0.0.2 set transform-set ESP-AES256-SHA match address 100 access-list 100 permit ip 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 192.168.2.0 0.0.0.255
Refer to the exhibit. The tunnel is established but no traffic is encrypted. What is the most likely issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between tunnel establishment (IKE Phase 1) and traffic encryption (IPsec Phase 2 + crypto map application), trapping candidates who assume a tunnel being 'up' means all components are correctly applied.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The crypto map is not applied to the external interface
The most likely issue is that the crypto map is not applied to the external interface. In IPsec VPN configuration, the crypto map must be applied to the interface that sends and receives encrypted traffic (typically the outside/public-facing interface). Without this application, the router does not know which traffic to protect or how to negotiate the IPsec tunnel, even if the tunnel is established (e.g., IKE Phase 1 completes). The tunnel may show as up due to successful ISAKMP negotiation, but no traffic will be encrypted because the crypto map's policy (including the access-list and transform set) is never enforced on the interface.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The transform set uses wrong encryption
Why it's wrong here
AES-256 is a strong encryption algorithm and compatible.
- ✓
The crypto map is not applied to the external interface
Why this is correct
The crypto map must be attached to an interface to enable encryption.
- ✗
The access-list is too permissive
Why it's wrong here
The ACL correctly defines interesting traffic between the two subnets.
- ✗
The peer address is wrong
Why it's wrong here
If the peer address were wrong, the tunnel would not be established.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-701 exam.