hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
300-410 Practice Question: Configures an EEM applet to monitor IPsec tunnel…
A network engineer configures an EEM applet to monitor IPsec tunnel failures using the event syslog pattern 'IPSEC-3-IPSEC'. The applet is designed to clear the IPsec security associations. The IPsec tunnel fails due to a transform-set mismatch, but the EEM applet does not trigger. Which is the most likely explanation?
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
✓
Transform-set mismatch generates an IPSEC syslog with severity 4, not severity 3.
When an IPsec tunnel fails due to a transform-set mismatch, the IKE phase 2 negotiation fails, and the syslog message generated is typically 'IPSEC-4-IPSEC' (severity 4) or 'ISAKMP-4-ISAKMP' (severity 4) depending on the IOS version. The pattern 'IPSEC-3-IPSEC' is for severity 3 errors, which are used for more critical events like SA lifetime expiration or hardware failures. The transform-set mismatch is a negotiation failure, not a critical error, so the syslog severity is lower (4), and the EEM applet does not match.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Transform-set mismatch generates an IPSEC syslog with severity 4, not severity 3.
Why this is correct
Correct. The syslog for transform-set mismatch is severity 4, so the pattern 'IPSEC-3-IPSEC' does not match.
- ✗
The EEM applet must use 'event isakmp' to capture IPsec events.
Why it's wrong here
EEM does not have a native ISAKMP event trigger; syslog is used.
- ✗
The IPsec tunnel failure is not logged because the router drops the packet silently.
Why it's wrong here
The failure is logged, but with a different severity.
- ✗
The transform-set mismatch causes a routing loop that suppresses syslog generation.
Why it's wrong here
No routing loop occurs; the IKE negotiation simply fails.
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 300-410 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 300-410 exam.