easyMultiple Choice
CCSP IPsec Practice Question
A cloud administrator needs to ensure that all data transferred between an on-premises data center and a cloud VPC is encrypted in transit. Which solution should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often assume a dedicated private connection inherently encrypts traffic because it is a private connection, but it does not; encryption must be explicitly implemented, and the VPN is the direct solution for encryption in transit.
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
✓
A site-to-site VPN connection
A site-to-site VPN connection creates an encrypted tunnel between an on-premises data center and a cloud VPC using IPsec (IKEv1/IKEv2) to protect all data in transit. This directly meets the requirement for encryption, as traffic traverses the public internet or a dedicated private connection with encryption enabled.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A cloud transit hub
Why it's wrong here
A cloud transit hub centralises routing and connectivity between VPCs, on-premises networks and accounts, but it forwards traffic without applying encryption to it. It tempts administrators because transit hubs commonly underpin hybrid architectures, yet the encryption must come from an IPsec VPN or TLS tunnel, not the hub itself.
- ✗
A cloud DNS resolver
Why it's wrong here
A cloud DNS resolver translates domain names into IP addresses; it carries no bulk data path and applies no encryption to on-premises-to-VPC traffic. It tempts administrators because DNS queries themselves can be encrypted, but that protects name resolution only, not the actual data transfer the scenario requires.
- ✓
A site-to-site VPN connection
Why this is correct
A site-to-site VPN uses IPsec to encrypt traffic traversing the public internet between the on-premises gateway and the cloud VPC, satisfying the in-transit encryption requirement. Direct Connect or peering alone carries data unencrypted unless a separate encryption layer is added.
- ✗
A dedicated private connection
Why it's wrong here
A dedicated private connection provides a private, non-internet path between on-premises and the VPC, but it does not itself encrypt traffic in transit; encryption requires an IPsec VPN or TLS overlay across that link. It tempts architects because private connectivity is often chosen for secure hybrid transfers, yet privacy alone does not satisfy the encryption requirement.
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.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CCSP question from scratch — 934 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CCSP 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 CCSP exam.