Multiple choice mcse

You are the systems administrator for a large department. You have configured the servers to require IPSec authentication and data verification for all data communications. To verify that IPSec is being used for all network communications, you have captured network traffic using Network monitor. What protocol is displayed in a Network Monitor entry when IPSec is being used to authenticate a frame?

  1. ESP

  2. IPSec

  3. TCP

  4. AH
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

When IPSec is used for authentication only (not encryption), it uses the Authentication Header (AH) protocol, which provides data integrity and authentication but not confidentiality. ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) is used when encryption is needed. Network Monitor would display AH in the protocol field for authentication-only IPSec.

AI explanation

IPSec has two main protocols: AH (Authentication Header) for authentication and integrity checking of the whole packet, and ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) for encryption (and optional authentication) of the payload. Since the scenario is about verifying authentication and data integrity rather than confidentiality, Network Monitor will show frames tagged with the AH protocol. ESP would appear if encryption were in use, and TCP/IPSec themselves aren't the protocol identifiers shown for the authentication header.

Keep practicing — related questions