- A
IPsec with IKEv2
IPsec/IKEv2 is a secure standard for site-to-site VPNs.
- B
PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol)
Why wrong: PPTP is insecure and should not be used.
- C
SSL VPN (Secure Sockets Layer VPN)
Why wrong: SSL VPN is designed for remote client access, not site-to-site.
- D
L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) without IPsec
Why wrong: L2TP alone provides no encryption.
Question 151 of 1,000
easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: A remote employee needs secure access to…
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of a remote employee needs secure access to…. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
A remote employee needs secure access to corporate resources over the internet. Which protocol is considered best practice for site-to-site VPN?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
IPsec with IKEv2
IPsec with IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2) is the best practice for site-to-site VPNs because it provides strong authentication, encryption, and integrity checking for all traffic between two fixed endpoints. IKEv2 offers built-in mobility, faster rekeying, and resistance to Denial-of-Service attacks compared to IKEv1, making it the recommended choice for secure, persistent site-to-site connections over the internet.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
IPsec with IKEv2
Why this is correct
IPsec/IKEv2 is a secure standard for site-to-site VPNs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol)
Why it's wrong here
PPTP is insecure and should not be used.
- ✗
SSL VPN (Secure Sockets Layer VPN)
- ✗
L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) without IPsec
Why it's wrong here
L2TP alone provides no encryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse SSL VPN (which is for remote access) with site-to-site VPN requirements, or they mistakenly think L2TP alone provides security, when in fact L2TP must be paired with IPsec to be secure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IKEv2 (RFC 7296) uses a two-phase process: Phase 1 establishes a secure authenticated channel using Diffie-Hellman key exchange and certificates or pre-shared keys, while Phase 2 negotiates IPsec Security Associations (SAs) for data traffic. A subtle behavior is that IKEv2 supports 'MOBIKE' (Mobility and Multihoming) which allows the VPN to survive IP address changes without re-establishing the tunnel, though this is more relevant for remote access than traditional site-to-site. In a real-world scenario, a company connecting two branch offices over the internet would configure IPsec with IKEv2 on their edge routers, using AES-256 encryption and SHA-256 hashing to ensure confidentiality and integrity of all inter-site traffic.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Related practice questions
Related SSCP practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Access Controls practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Access Controls.
Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis.
Incident Response and Recovery practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Incident Response and Recovery.
Security Operations and Administration practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Security Operations and Administration.
Cryptography practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Cryptography.
Network and Communications Security practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Network and Communications Security.
Systems and Application Security practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Systems and Application Security.
Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis.
SSCP fundamentals practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to SSCP fundamentals.
SSCP scenario practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to SSCP scenario.
SSCP troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SSCP questions linked to SSCP troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SSCP practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: IPsec with IKEv2 — IPsec with IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2) is the best practice for site-to-site VPNs because it provides strong authentication, encryption, and integrity checking for all traffic between two fixed endpoints. IKEv2 offers built-in mobility, faster rekeying, and resistance to Denial-of-Service attacks compared to IKEv1, making it the recommended choice for secure, persistent site-to-site connections over the internet.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More SSCP practice questions
- A company has implemented a new vulnerability scanner and the first scan reports 200 vulnerabilities. The security team…
- A security analyst is reviewing logs and notices multiple failed login attempts from a single IP address against an admi…
- A security manager is evaluating log sources for a SIEM implementation. Which THREE of the following are considered log…
- A vulnerability scanner reports a medium-severity finding on a server. After investigation, the security team determines…
- During a qualitative risk analysis, an organization rates the likelihood of a flood as 'Low' and the impact as 'High'. U…
- A security analyst is tuning a SIEM to reduce false positives. Which of the following actions is most likely to reduce f…
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.