Which statement about VPN security is accurate?

Which statement about VPN security is accurate?

• A. VPN security relies on authentication
• B. VPN security uses encryption to provide integrity and privacy
• C. VPN security provides no data integrity
• D. Encryption is used to provide integrity and privacy

Answer: (D)

In VPN security, encryption is used to protect data as it traverses the network, providing privacy by making the payload unreadable to anyone who intercepts it. When encryption is used in authenticated modes (or paired with a separate integrity check like a MAC), it also guards against tampering, giving data integrity. So encryption is used to provide both integrity and privacy, especially with modern VPNs that rely on authenticated encryption (for example, AES-GCM) or combine encryption with integrity checks. The other statements fall short: relying only on authentication misses confidentiality, claiming there is no data integrity ignores the integrity protections that come with MACs or AEAD, and saying encryption provides only integrity misrepresents its primary role of ensuring privacy while still enabling integrity through additional mechanisms.

In VPN security, encryption is used to protect data as it traverses the network, providing privacy by making the payload unreadable to anyone who intercepts it. When encryption is used in authenticated modes (or paired with a separate integrity check like a MAC), it also guards against tampering, giving data integrity. So encryption is used to provide both integrity and privacy, especially with modern VPNs that rely on authenticated encryption (for example, AES-GCM) or combine encryption with integrity checks. The other statements fall short: relying only on authentication misses confidentiality, claiming there is no data integrity ignores the integrity protections that come with MACs or AEAD, and saying encryption provides only integrity misrepresents its primary role of ensuring privacy while still enabling integrity through additional mechanisms.