CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

Which routing protocol can be classified as a distance vector protocol?

1. RIP

2. OSPF

3. IGRP

4. Both A and C

The correct answer is: Both A and C

RIP and IGRP are both classified as distance vector routing protocols, which is why the correct choice is identifying this characteristic of the two protocols. Distance vector protocols function by having routers share information about the entire network. They use metrics like hop count to determine the best path for data to travel. RIP, which stands for Routing Information Protocol, focuses on identifying the best route based on the fewest number of hops to destination networks. This protocol exchanges routing information at regular intervals and relies on the difference in distances to determine routing tables. IGRP, or Interior Gateway Routing Protocol, operates similarly by utilizing a distance vector algorithm, but it is a more advanced protocol compared to RIP. It uses a combination of factors, such as delay, bandwidth, load, and reliability, to calculate the best path, making it more versatile for larger and more complex networks. OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), on the other hand, is not a distance vector protocol but a link-state protocol. It builds a complete map of the network topology and uses this information to determine the best routes, making it distinct from the distance vector category. Thus, recognizing both RIP and IGRP as distance vector protocols aligns with the characteristics that define this category, confirming that