Which of the following media types is the most easily tapped?
A.
Twisted pair
B.
Baseband coaxial
C.
Broadband coaxial
D.
Fiber
Explanation:
Twisted-pair cabling is very common and inexpensive but can be easily
tapped. It is commonly used in small office buildings due to its distance
limitations.
I find tapping twisted pair much easier also because of its commonality now days.
NETWORK CABLING
Choosing the right network media for the right circumstances can have a good influence on overall network security. Although the options are often limited by the required data throughput and cable lengths, there are security related factors that should be evaluated when choosing cabling alternatives. These factors relate to the physical attributes of the media, such as strength and shielding. The following are the primary threats related to network cabling:
Physical damage – Damage can be caused by accident or on purpose.
Tapping – Physically tapping a device into a network would allow an attacker to perform all sorts of network attacks including sniffing.
Electromagneticinterference (EMI) – Electrical equipment and cabling near the cable can produce an electromagnetic field that interferes with the signal on copper wires.
Crosstalk – Electrical signals leaking though the cable shielding or enclosure can interfere with other nearby cables and vice versa.
Coaxial
Coaxial cable is used primarily in the older 10Base2 and 10Base5 Ethernet networks. It is physically strong and rigid and provides relatively good shielding against EMI and crosstalk. One of the main vulnerabilities of using coaxial media is that it is fairly easy to tap in a rogue network device by piercing the cable with a vampire tap or cutting the cable and inserting a T-connector.
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
The main advantages of Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cabling are that it is cheap and it is flexible. It does however provide very little protection to physical damage and EMI because it does not have proper shielding. It is also fairly easy to tap into an existing connection by splitting the cable wires.
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) is a bit more expensive than UTP but has an additional layer of metal shielding enclosing the inner wires. This provides better protection against EMI and makes it physically stronger, while remaining flexible. Tapping into an STP connection is just as easy as with UTP.
Fiber Optics
The most expensive type of cabling, fiber optics allows for the longest distances and highest transmission speeds, and is also considered the most secure type of network cabling. The two characteristics that make it so secure are that fiber optics is not susceptible to EMI and crosstalk, and it is difficult to physically tap into a connection. A main disadvantage of fiber optic cabling is that it is physically weak, which can pose a threat for the availability of a connection. An attacker may be able to break any cable just as easily, but accidental damage to fiber optics is not uncommon and makes the connection unavailable to everyone.
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I have the same idea. A
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