Exam N10-008 topic 1 question 833 discussion

NAC = network access control = 802.1X for wireless authentication

802.1X is a network access control (NAC) protocol used for authenticating devices on wired and wireless networks. It provides a framework for port-based network access control and is crucial for implementing NAC solutions. A. IPSec: IPSec is used for securing IP communications through encryption and authentication but is not specifically for network access control. C. EAP: Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is an authentication framework used in conjunction with 802.1X but is not a standalone NAC component. D. TACACS+: TACACS+ (Terminal Access Controller Access-Control System Plus) is an authentication protocol used for network device management but is not specific to NAC for wired and wireless networks.

B. 802.1X 802.1X is a network access control protocol that is widely used for authenticating devices and users on wired and wireless networks. It provides a framework for enforcing access control policies by authenticating devices before they can access the network. 802.1X is commonly integrated with NAC solutions to ensure that only authenticated and authorized users and devices can connect to the network. EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) (Option C) is a framework used by 802.1X to support various authentication methods. However, EAP is not a standalone authentication mechanism; it works within 802.1X. IPSec (Option A) is a suite of protocols for securing IP communications, typically used for VPNs, but it is not directly involved in the NAC authentication process. TACACS+ (Option D) is an authentication protocol used for centralized authentication of users to network devices (e.g., routers, switches), but it is not a component specifically required for NAC. Therefore, 802.1X is the correct choice as the authentication component that must be used when implementing NAC on both wired and wireless networks.