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350-701 Practice Question: Which THREE elements are essential components of…
Which THREE elements are essential components of a secure network architecture according to Cisco's SAFE model? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that a single firewall is sufficient for edge security, but the SAFE model explicitly requires a layered security stack (firewall, IPS, and web/email security) at the internet edge to achieve defense-in-depth.
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
✓
Encryption for data in transit
Encryption for data in transit is a core component of Cisco's SAFE model because it ensures confidentiality and integrity of traffic traversing the network. SAFE mandates encryption protocols such as IPsec, TLS, or MACsec to protect against eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. This aligns with the model's principle of maintaining trustworthiness across all communication paths.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Encryption for data in transit
Why this is correct
Protects confidentiality of data traversing the network.
- ✗
A single firewall at the internet edge
Why it's wrong here
Not sufficient; defense in depth requires multiple layers.
- ✓
Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA)
Why this is correct
Provides identity-based access control.
- ✓
Network segmentation using VLANs or VRF
Why this is correct
Limits lateral movement and isolates traffic.
- ✗
Large broadcast domains to simplify management
Why it's wrong here
Increases attack surface and reduces security.
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.