Network Access Control (NAC)

5 minutes 5 Questions

Network Access Control (NAC) is a security approach that manages and controls access to a network based on a set of predefined policies. NAC ensures that only authorized devices and users can access network resources, while restricting or blocking non-compliant devices. This helps in preventing the…

Guide on Network Access Control (NAC)

Network Access Control (NAC) is an integral part of the CompTIA Network+ certification. It involves understanding how to control access to a network and securing this access. This guide will provide an overview of the concept and tips to answer questions related to NAC in the exam.
Why is NAC important?
It's crucial due to its role in securing a network. It ensures that every device attempting to connect to a network meets predefined security standards. Without proper NAC, a network is susceptible to attacks and unwanted intrusions.
What is NAC?
Network Access Control is an approach to computer security that attempts to unify endpoint security technology (such as antivirus, host intrusion prevention, vulnerability assessment), user or system authentication and network security enforcement.
How does NAC work?
NAC functions by setting policies for network access. When a device tries to connect to the network, NAC checks the device to ensure it meets the predefined criteria. If the device fails this check, it can be blocked from accessing the network, placed into a restricted access area, or granted limited access.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Network Access Control (NAC)
1. Understand How NAC Works: Make sure you understand its underlying principle. Having a clear understanding helps in answering applied questions.
2. Know the Types of Policies: Understanding the types of NAC policies is important as questions often focus on policy types and their implementation.
3. Be aware of NAC drawbacks: Being aware of the limitations or disadvantages of NAC, like compatibility issues or potential for false positives, can help in objective type questions.
4. Practice: As with all exam topics, practicing with sample questions significantly helps understanding and retention.

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Question 1

Your company has just introduced a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. Which NAC solution will ensure that employees can access your company's network with their personal devices?

Port security Centralized device management system Network Access Control Server. VPN

Correct Answer: Network Access Control Server.

The Network Access Control Server is the best solution when introducing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. NAC servers verify the devices against a predetermined policy before allowing them to connect to your network, ensuring your network's safety. On the other hand, a Centralized device management system is mainly used to manage, monitor, and secure employees' devices, although it does not inherently provide network access control. Port security is a security feature used to restrict the devices that can connect to certain networking ports but does not ensure verification or authentication, hence it's not ideal for a BYOD policyA VPN (Virtual Private Network) allows secure access to the company’s network from remote locations, but in the context of a BYOD policy, it does not ensure that the device accessing the network is compliant with the company’s policy.

Question 2

An organization suffers from frequent malware outbreaks due to unauthorized portable media usage. Which NAC-based mitigation would you recommend?

802.1X Endpoint security control Captive portal VLAN assignment

Correct Answer: Endpoint security control

Endpoint security control monitors and restricts the usage of portable media, which can reduce the risk of malware outbreaks from unauthorized removable storage. The other options don't specifically address this issue.

Question 3

A company wants to implement a new NAC policy that requires all devices to be authenticated before accessing the corporate network. Which of the following NAC solutions would best meet this requirement?

IPsec MAC address filtering Port security 802.1X

Correct Answer: 802.1X

The best solution for a Network Access Control (NAC) policy requiring all devices to be authenticated before accessing the corporate network is 802.1X. This is a standard for port-based Network Access Control (PNAC) that provides an authentication mechanism to devices wishing to attach to a LAN or WLAN. It provides a security infrastructure which ensures only authenticated, and sometimes compliant, devices can connect to the network. It is a protocol that relies on EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) to facilitate the process. The other options do not meet the requirement as effectively. MAC address filtering involves permitting or denying network access based on the MAC address of the device. This can be easily bypassed by spoofing a MAC address. Port security is a feature on some switches that can be used to stop some types of traffic by configuring individual switch ports. However, this does not provide a method of authenticating devices before they connect to the network Lastly, IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) is a suite of protocols for securing internet protocol (IP) communications by authenticating and encrypting each IP packet in a communication session. While it does provide security, it doesn't authenticate devices prior to accessing the corporate network, which is the specific requirement in this case.

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