Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

What does IPsec mainly secure in the communication process?

1. Data integrity

2. Data confidentiality and integrity

3. Session initiation

4. Network performance

The correct answer is: Data confidentiality and integrity

IPsec is a framework designed to secure Internet Protocol (IP) communications by providing data confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. The primary functions that IPsec performs include ensuring that the data transmitted over the network remains confidential through encryption and maintaining the integrity of the data by verifying that it has not been tampered with during transfer. In this way, both elements are crucial for secure communications. While data integrity is essential on its own, focusing solely on that aspect overlooks the importance of confidentiality, particularly in protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access. Likewise, session initiation and network performance are not the primary concerns of IPsec since their focus is on establishing communications and enhancing network speed, respectively, rather than securing the data being communicated. Therefore, the most comprehensive and accurate description of what IPsec mainly secures in the communication process includes both data confidentiality and integrity.