Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v10) — Question 23

Bob, a network administrator at BigUniversity, realized that some students are connecting their notebooks in the wired network to have Internet access. In the university campus, there are many Ethernet ports available for professors and authorized visitors but not for students.
He identified this when the IDS alerted for malware activities in the network.
What should Bob do to avoid this problem?

Answer options

• A. Disable unused ports in the switches
• B. Separate students in a different VLAN
• C. Use the 802.1x protocol
• D. Ask students to use the wireless network

Correct answer: C

Explanation

The correct answer is C, as implementing the 802.1x protocol will ensure that only authorized devices can connect to the network, providing a secure way to manage access. Option A, disabling unused ports, does not prevent students from accessing the network through active ports. Option B, separating students in a different VLAN, is a step towards security but does not authenticate users. Option D, asking students to use the wireless network, does not address the root issue of unauthorized access through the wired network.