Which of the following utilizes TCP ports 20/21 and transfers data in cleartext?

Which of the following utilizes TCP ports 20/21 and transfers data in cleartext?
A . SNMP
B . SSH
C . FTP
D . Telnet

View Answer

Answer: C

Explanation:

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) uses TCP ports 20/21 and transfers data in cleartext, which means the data is not encrypted and can be read by anyone who intercepts it. This makes FTP insecure for transferring sensitive information. SSH (Secure Shell), on the other hand, uses port 22 and encrypts data, making it more secure. SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) uses ports 161/162 and is used to monitor network devices. Telnet uses port 23 and transfers data in cleartext, making it insecure.

References: CompTIA A+ Certification Exam: Core 1 – Page 199