Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

What type of password security do SNMP versions 1 and 2 utilize?

1. Encryption keys

2. Community string

3. Two-factor authentication

4. Session tokens

The correct answer is: Community string

The correct answer is community string. In Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) versions 1 and 2, security relies on a shared community string, which acts as a plaintext password. This community string controls access to the SNMP devices and determines what permissions the user has, such as read or write access to the SNMP data. Unlike more advanced protocols that incorporate encryption keys or other sophisticated security measures, SNMPv1 and SNMPv2 communicate the community string in an unencrypted format. This means that if the community string is intercepted during transmission, an unauthorized individual could potentially gain access to sensitive network management information. Other security options such as encryption keys and two-factor authentication are not features of SNMP versions 1 and 2; these were later introduced in SNMP version 3, which provides improved security mechanisms. Additionally, session tokens, which are commonly used in various authentication schemes, are not applicable to these specific versions of SNMP. Therefore, community string is the primary method of managing access in SNMPv1 and v2.