Microsoft Networking Essentials Exam Technology & Digital Applications 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which protocol does Windows use for securely authenticating domain users by default, replacing NTLM in modern Active Directory environments?
- LDAP
- Kerberos (Correct answer)
- RADIUS
- TACACS+
Correct answer: Kerberos
Kerberos is the default authentication protocol in Active Directory, using tickets to verify user identities without transmitting passwords over the network.
Question 2: A switch port is configured in 'access mode' with VLAN 10. What does this mean?
- The port can carry traffic for all VLANs
- The port carries untagged traffic for only VLAN 10 (Correct answer)
- The port forwards packets using routing protocols
- The port is blocked by Spanning Tree Protocol
Correct answer: The port carries untagged traffic for only VLAN 10
An access mode port belongs to a single VLAN and passes untagged frames; devices connected to it are unaware of VLAN membership.
Question 3: What is the main advantage of using fiber optic cable over copper twisted-pair cabling?
- Lower cost per meter
- Immunity to electromagnetic interference and longer transmission distances (Correct answer)
- Easier to terminate with standard tools
- Support for PoE (Power over Ethernet)
Correct answer: Immunity to electromagnetic interference and longer transmission distances
Fiber optic cables transmit data as light pulses, making them immune to EMI and capable of spanning much greater distances than copper cables.
Question 4: Which security practice involves granting users only the minimum level of access required to perform their job functions?
- Defense in depth
- Least privilege (Correct answer)
- Network segmentation
- Role separation
Correct answer: Least privilege
The principle of least privilege limits user permissions to only what is necessary, reducing the attack surface if an account is compromised.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a default gateway configured on a host device?
- Resolve hostnames to IP addresses
- Forward packets destined for networks outside the local subnet (Correct answer)
- Assign IP addresses to new devices
- Manage VLAN tagging on the uplink port
Correct answer: Forward packets destined for networks outside the local subnet
The default gateway is the router interface address that hosts send packets to when the destination IP is on a different subnet.
Question 6: Which type of backup copies only files that have changed since the last full or incremental backup and clears the archive bit?
- Full backup
- Differential backup
- Incremental backup (Correct answer)
- Mirror backup
Correct answer: Incremental backup
An incremental backup saves only files modified since the last backup of any type and marks them as backed up by clearing the archive bit.
Question 7: A company is implementing two-factor authentication (2FA). Which combination correctly represents 'something you know' and 'something you have'?
- Fingerprint and retina scan
- Password and hardware token (Correct answer)
- Smart card and biometric
- PIN and security question
Correct answer: Password and hardware token
A password is 'something you know' and a hardware token (like an authenticator app or RSA key fob) is 'something you have,' satisfying true 2FA.
Microsoft Networking Essentials Exam Technology & Digital Applications 5
Which protocol does Windows use for securely authenticating domain users by default, replacing NTLM in modern Active Directory environments?