At an organization, unauthorized users have been accessing network resources via unused network wall
jacks. Which of the following would be used to stop unauthorized access?

A.
Configure an access list.

B.
Configure spanning tree protocol.

C.
Configure port security.

D.
Configure loop protection.

Explanation:
Port security in IT can mean several things. It can mean the physical control of all connection points, such
as RJ-45 wall jacks or device ports, so that no unauthorized users or unauthorized devices can attempt to
connect into an open port. This can be accomplished by locking down the wiring closet and server vaults
and then disconnecting the workstation run from the patch panel (or punch-down block) that leads to a
room’s wall jack. Any unneeded or unused wall jacks can (and should) be physically disabled in this
manner. Another option is to use a smart patch panel that can monitor the MAC address of any device
connected to each and every wall port across a building and detect not just when a new device is
connected to an empty port, but also when a valid device is disconnected or replaced by an invalid
device.
Incorrect Answers:
A: In the realm of physical security, access controls are mechanisms designed to manage and control
entrance into a location such as a building, a parking lot, a room, or even a specific box or server rack.
B: Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) erects transmission blockades to prevent loops from being created.
D: A loop in networking terms is a transmission pathway that repeats itself.

Stewart, James Michael, CompTIA Security+ Review Guide, Sybex, Indianapolis, 2014, pp. 24, 25, 27, 128,
129