N10-009 Question 251
Single answerPhysical security: Camera, LocksA network administrator discovers that an unlocked wiring closet in a shared office building contains patch panels, a core switch, and a camera recorder for the company's surveillance system. Building maintenance staff and other tenants can currently enter the closet, and there is no reliable way to review who accessed it after hours. The company wants to reduce the risk of tampering while also improving accountability for physical access. Which solution BEST addresses both requirements?
- A
Install a badge-controlled electronic door lock and place a security camera covering the closet entrance
- B
Replace copper Ethernet runs with fiber to prevent unauthorized access to the closet
- C
Add a software firewall rule to restrict management access to the core switch
- D
Move the patch panels to an open office area so employees can easily observe the equipment
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to combine locks and cameras: a badge-controlled electronic lock restricts access and typically supports auditing through entry logs, while a camera provides monitoring and investigative evidence. In real-world network operations, telecommunications rooms, wiring closets, and other spaces containing switches, patch panels, and security system components should be physically secured with controlled access and monitored when accountability is required. This aligns with standard physical security best practices used in enterprise environments, where layered controls are preferred: prevention through locks and detection/documentation through cameras. The other options either address the wrong type of security control or would reduce physical protection rather than improve it.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A badge-controlled electronic lock limits access to authorized personnel and creates an access log, while a camera at the entrance provides visual monitoring and evidence for after-hours activity. This combination addresses both physical restriction and accountability, which is a common best practice for securing network infrastructure areas such as wiring closets and IDFs/MDFs.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Fiber can improve resistance to electromagnetic interference and may be harder to tap than copper in some scenarios, but it does not solve the primary problem here: unauthorized physical entry into the closet. Attackers or unauthorized personnel could still tamper with switches, patch panels, or the camera recorder itself.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A software firewall rule may help protect logical management access to the switch, but it does nothing to control who can physically enter the closet or who might unplug cables, power off equipment, or remove devices. This option addresses network security, not the stated physical security and accountability requirements.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Placing critical network equipment in an open office area would weaken physical security by increasing exposure to accidental disconnection, theft, and tampering. Casual observation by employees is not a substitute for controlled access and surveillance.