350-701 Practice Question: Which authentication protocol is used in Cisco…

Which authentication protocol is used in Cisco ISE for certificate-based 802.1X authentication?

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

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EAP-TLS

EAP-TLS is the Extensible Authentication Protocol that uses certificates for mutual authentication.

Answer analysis

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

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LEAP
Why it's wrong here
LEAP is a Cisco proprietary protocol that does not use certificates.
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EAP-MD5
Why it's wrong here
EAP-MD5 is a legacy protocol that does not use certificates.
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EAP-TLS
Why this is correct
EAP-TLS uses certificates for authentication, providing strong security.
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PEAP-MSCHAPv2
Why it's wrong here
PEAP-MSCHAPv2 uses credentials (username/password), not certificates.

Quick reference

Protocol	Port(s)	Encryption	Transport	Primary Use
RADIUS	1812 / 1813	Password only	UDP	Network access control
TACACS+	49	Full packet	TCP	Device administration
Diameter	3868	Full session	TCP / SCTP	Carrier / mobile networks
802.1X	—	EAP-based	Layer 2	Port-based access control

TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet; RADIUS only encrypts the password field — a key exam distinction.

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