Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) — Question 261

An organization implements Network Access Control (NAC) using Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1x and discovers the printers do not support the IEEE 802.1x standard. Which of the following is the BEST resolution?

Answer options

• A. Implement port security on the switch ports for the printers.
• B. Do nothing; IEEE 802.1x is irrelevant to printers.
• C. Install an IEEE 802.1x bridge for the printers.
• D. Implement a virtual local area network (VLAN) for the printers.

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The best resolution is to implement a VLAN for the printers (Option D), as this allows the printers to be segmented from the network without requiring IEEE 802.1x support. Option A is not ideal since port security does not address the compatibility issue with IEEE 802.1x. Option B is incorrect because while IEEE 802.1x may not apply directly to printers, network security is still important. Option C does not provide a practical solution, as installing an IEEE 802.1x bridge might not resolve the underlying incompatibility.