CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

Which data access method should be used with caution due to its ability to provide access to block level data?

1. NFS

2. SMB

3. iSCSI

4. FTP

The correct answer is: iSCSI

The choice of iSCSI as the data access method that should be used with caution is rooted in its functionality of providing block-level access to storage. iSCSI stands for Internet Small Computer System Interface and is a protocol that allows clients to send SCSI commands to storage devices over IP networks. Since iSCSI operates at the block level, it enables direct access to the storage on a more granular level compared to file-level access methods. This can pose security risks if not properly managed, as users with access might be able to directly manipulate the data stored on the disk. In settings where sensitive data is involved, it is crucial to ensure that proper authentication and access controls are in place to safeguard against unauthorized access and potential data breaches. When considering other methods such as NFS (Network File System), SMB (Server Message Block), and FTP (File Transfer Protocol), these primarily operate at the file system level rather than providing block-level access. File-level protocols manage data in files, which typically includes built-in mechanisms for file permissions and access controls, making them less risky in scenarios where sensitive data protection is a primary concern. Therefore, while NFS, SMB, and FTP have their own security considerations, the block-level access nature of iSCSI