CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

What is a significant risk when multiple virtual machines share the same network interface in a virtual cluster?

1. Increased network latency

2. Visibility on traffic potentially affecting confidentiality

3. Incompatibility with legacy systems

4. Overloading of the virtual network interface

The correct answer is: Visibility on traffic potentially affecting confidentiality

When multiple virtual machines share the same network interface in a virtual cluster, a significant risk that arises is visibility on traffic potentially affecting confidentiality. This is due to the way network interfaces operate within virtual environments. If several virtual machines (VMs) are configured to use the same physical network interface, the traffic generated by one VM may be visible to others, depending on the virtualization settings and network configurations in place. This visibility can lead to the unintended disclosure of sensitive data or information as VMs may be able to see each other's outgoing and incoming traffic. This poses a major risk regarding data confidentiality and integrity, as potentially sensitive information could be intercepted by malicious VM instances within the same cluster. While increased network latency, incompatibility with legacy systems, and overloading of the virtual network interface are concerns in a virtualized environment, they do not have the same direct implications for confidentiality as visibility into traffic does. The sharing of a network interface primarily raises the risk of unauthorized access to traffic between VMs, making it essential to ensure proper segmentation and isolation to maintain data security.