300-430 Question 185
Single answerAn enterprise is implementing a secure wireless network for employees. The IT team wants to ensure that only authorized users can connect to the wireless network and that user credentials are never sent in plain text. Which authentication method should the IT team choose to meet these requirements?
- A
Open authentication with a pre-shared key (PSK)
- B
WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1X/EAP
- C
MAC filtering with WPA2-Personal
- D
WPA3-SAE
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1X/EAP provides the strongest security for enterprise wireless networks by requiring user authentication through a RADIUS server and encrypting credentials using EAP methods. This ensures that only authorized users can access the network and that user credentials are never exposed in plain text. It is the most appropriate solution for meeting the requirements of secure wireless client connectivity in an enterprise environment.
- A. Incorrect.
Open authentication with a pre-shared key (PSK) is not suitable for enterprise environments as it does not provide per-user authentication or strong credential protection. The PSK can be shared or compromised.
- B. Correct.
WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1X/EAP is the correct choice for enterprise networks as it uses a RADIUS server for authentication, ensuring that only authorized users can connect and that credentials are encrypted during the authentication process.
- C. Incorrect.
MAC filtering with WPA2-Personal provides some level of device-based control but does not offer user-specific authentication or encryption for credentials, making it less secure and not scalable for enterprise use.
- D. Incorrect.
WPA3-SAE improves security over WPA2-Personal but is still not designed for enterprise environments. It is primarily used for personal or small office networks and does not provide centralized user authentication.