Secure Network Design

The best approach to standardize security policies for a distributed company with multiple sites is by implementing a centralized security management system. This approach allows for unified control and management over all security aspects across multiple sites which leads to consistent policies and enhanced security. Disabling the use of VPNs doesn't help standardize security, but could actually decrease security by preventing the encrypted communications that VPNs provide. Using the same SSID and password for all Wi-Fi networks is a bad practice as it compromises network security and facilitates unauthorized access if the common credentials are discovered. The option of having unlimited administrator privileges is also a poor security practice because it provides too much unrestricted access which can lead to data breaches or other security incidents if these privileges are abused or fall into the wrong hands.

Next Generation Firewalls (NGFW) offer several benefits to enhance the security network of a company. The answer 'Advanced threat protection' is correct because NGFWs incorporate advanced features such as intrusion prevention systems (IPS), application-level inspection, and user identity tracking to deliver better threat protection. On the other hand, the other answers do not align with the features and benefits offered by NGFWs. 'Reduced network performance' is incorrect as NGFWs often have features to maintain or improve network performance. 'Greater risk of data breach' is incorrect because NGFWs are specifically designed to enhance security and reduce the risk of data breaches. 'Less granular control over traffic' is also incorrect, as one of the key features of NGFWs is to provide granular control over network traffic.

The best secure network design element to ensure the safe transmission of sensitive data is to 'Use VPNs for data transmission'. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, creates a secure, encrypted connection between two networks over the Internet, thereby ensuring minimal data interception. 'Turning off encryption' would make data more susceptible to interception, so it is not the correct solution. On the other hand, 'Enabling remote access for all users' increases the potential access points for malicious actors, making the network less safe. And 'Using weaker wireless encryption' would lessen the complexity and robustness of the encryption, making it easier for unauthorized individuals to decipher the data.