You have been tasked to ensure that audit logs on mobility gateways contain accurate timestamps, keeping security in mind. Which configuration change would best secure the time clock against attacks?

Question

Options

• AModify the ACL AllowList to deny NTP
• BTurn on Use NTP authentication toggle and set the parameters
• CUse an ACL in the communication path
• DModify the audit log timezone to match the mobility gateways

• A
  4% (1)
• B
  89% (24)
• C
  7% (2)

Explanation

NTP Authentication (Option B) secures the time clock by requiring cryptographic keys to validate that time updates come from a trusted NTP server - without this, an attacker could perform an NTP spoofing attack, injecting false timestamps that corrupt audit logs and obscure the timing of security events.

Why the distractors fail:

• A - Denying NTP entirely breaks time synchronization, so audit log timestamps become inaccurate rather than secure; you've solved the attack vector by eliminating the function itself.
• C - An ACL in the communication path limits who can reach the NTP server but doesn't verify the authenticity of the NTP responses; a man-in-the-middle on an allowed path can still spoof time.
• D - Matching timezones is a display/consistency concern, not a security control; it has no effect on whether the time source itself is trustworthy.

Memory tip: Think of NTP authentication like HTTPS for time - just as you wouldn't trust a website without a certificate, you shouldn't trust a time source without authentication. The keyword in the question is "against attacks", which always points to authentication/integrity controls, not filtering or formatting options.

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