ISC2 Exam ISSMP Topic 2 Question 47 Discussion

Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is an authentication protocol that provides support for a wide range of authentication methods, such as smart cards, certificates, one-time passwords, public keys, etc. It is an extension to Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), which allows the application of arbitrary authentication mechanisms for the validation of a PPP connection.

Answer option C is incorrect. Microsoft created the Microsoft Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (MS-CHAP) to authenticate remote Windows workstations. It is designed especially for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 networking products. This protocol provides data encryption along with password encryption.

Answer option A is incorrect. Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) is the least sophisticated authentication protocol, used mostly when a client calls a server running an operating system other than Windows. PAP uses plain text passwords.

Answer option D is incorrect. Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) is an authentication protocol that uses a secure form of encrypted authentication. Using CHAP, network dial-up connections are able to securely connect to almost all PPP servers.