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ISC2 CC Practice Question: During a security assessment, a penetration…

During a security assessment, a penetration tester captures unencrypted credentials over the network. Which protocol is most likely being used?

⚠ Common exam trap

ISC2 often tests the distinction between protocols that use encryption (like HTTPS, SSH, SMTPS) and those that do not (like FTP, Telnet, HTTP), and the trap here is that candidates may confuse FTP with its secure variants (FTPS or SFTP) or assume all file transfer protocols are encrypted.

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

✓

FTP

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) transmits data, including credentials, in cleartext over the network. When a penetration tester captures unencrypted credentials, FTP is a likely candidate because it does not encrypt the authentication process, making it vulnerable to packet sniffing attacks.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

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

  • ✗

    SMTPS

    Why it's wrong here

    SMTPS encrypts email submission, protecting credentials in transit.

  • ✗

    SSH

    Why it's wrong here

    SSH encrypts the entire session, protecting credentials.

  • ✓

    FTP

    Why this is correct

    FTP sends username and password in plaintext over the network.

  • ✗

    HTTPS

    Why it's wrong here

    HTTPS encrypts all traffic, including credentials.

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JA

Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security

Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva

This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.