Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

What is the outcome if port security is in restriction mode and a violation occurs?

1. The port will shut down

2. Traffic from the offending MAC will be dropped, but the port remains active

3. The port will disable completely

4. Only the specific MAC address is allowed

The correct answer is: Traffic from the offending MAC will be dropped, but the port remains active

Under restriction mode in port security, when a violation occurs, the behavior is designed to maintain network access while controlling traffic from unauthorized devices. When a frame is received from a MAC address that is not allowed, the switch will take action by dropping just that offending traffic. However, the port remains active, allowing traffic from compliant devices to continue passing through. This allows for a more flexible approach compared to enforced strict modes that might completely disable the port. This functionality is particularly useful in environments where you want to prevent unauthorized access but still need to ensure that legitimate devices connected to the port can communicate effectively.