This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of 802.1x and trustsec. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An enterprise is implementing Cisco TrustSec (CTS) to enforce role-based access control. The network engineer configures the switch with 'cts role-based enforcement' and 'cts manual' on an interface connecting to a trusted Cisco switch. The engineer also configures Security Group Tags (SGTs) on the RADIUS server. However, traffic between two hosts in different SGTs is not being filtered as expected. The engineer checks 'show cts role-based counters' and sees no drops. What is the most likely reason for the lack of enforcement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The SGTs are not being propagated to the switch; the switch lacks SGT mappings for the hosts.
CTS role-based enforcement requires SGTs to be assigned to packets. If the switch does not have SGT information for the source or destination, it cannot enforce policies. Option C is correct because without SGTs, the switch treats traffic as untagged and does not apply SGACLs. Option A is incorrect because CTS does not require 802.1X; it can use manual or SXP. Option B is incorrect because 'cts manual' is a valid configuration for trusted interfaces. Option D is incorrect because 'show cts role-based counters' shows drops only if enforcement is active; no drops indicate no enforcement.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 switch is not configured for 802.1X on the interface.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because CTS can work with manual SGT assignment without 802.1X.
✗
The 'cts manual' command is incorrect; 'cts dot1x' should be used instead.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because 'cts manual' is valid for trusted interfaces where SGTs are manually assigned.
✓
The SGTs are not being propagated to the switch; the switch lacks SGT mappings for the hosts.
Why this is correct
Correct because without SGTs, the switch cannot enforce role-based policies.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
The 'show cts role-based counters' command shows no drops, indicating the ACLs are not configured.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because no drops can also mean enforcement is not active; the command does not show ACL configuration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect because no drops can also mean enforcement is not active; the command does not show ACL configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 350-401 question in full detail.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related 350-401 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
802.1X and TrustSec — This question tests 802.1X and TrustSec — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The SGTs are not being propagated to the switch; the switch lacks SGT mappings for the hosts. — CTS role-based enforcement requires SGTs to be assigned to packets. If the switch does not have SGT information for the source or destination, it cannot enforce policies. Option C is correct because without SGTs, the switch treats traffic as untagged and does not apply SGACLs. Option A is incorrect because CTS does not require 802.1X; it can use manual or SXP. Option B is incorrect because 'cts manual' is a valid configuration for trusted interfaces. Option D is incorrect because 'show cts role-based counters' shows drops only if enforcement is active; no drops indicate no enforcement.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related 350-401 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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