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200-201 Practice Question: A security policy mandates that all…
A security policy mandates that all administrative access to network devices must be encrypted. Which of the following protocols should be used to comply with this policy?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that Telnet is acceptable if a password is set, but the trap is that Telnet never encrypts the session, so it fails any policy requiring encryption regardless of 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
✓
SSH
SSH (Secure Shell) encrypts all traffic, including authentication credentials and commands, between an administrator and a network device. This satisfies the policy requirement for encrypted administrative access, unlike Telnet which sends everything in plaintext.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Telnet
Why it's wrong here
Telnet sends all data, including passwords, in clear text, violating the encryption policy.
- ✓
SSH
Why this is correct
SSH provides strong encryption for remote administrative sessions, ensuring compliance.
- ✗
TFTP
Why it's wrong here
TFTP is used for file transfers, not interactive access, and it is not encrypted.
- ✗
SNMPv2c
Why it's wrong here
SNMPv2c uses community strings in plain text and is not for administrative access.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-201 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 200-201 exam.