What is the significance of disabling unused ports on switches?

• A. To increase data throughput.
• B. To reduce the risk of unauthorized access to the network.
• C. To simplify routing tables.
• D. To log all traffic for auditing.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is reducing the network’s attack surface. When a switch port is left enabled but unused, it becomes a potential entry point for an attacker who could physically connect a device and gain access to the network or attempt to bypass controls. By disabling these unused ports, you ensure there are no live paths for rogue devices to bridge into the switch, which significantly lowers the chance of unauthorized access.

This practice is a basic step in switch hardening and complements other security measures like port security and 802.1X authentication. It doesn’t inherently increase data throughput, simplify routing tables, or automatically log traffic, which is why the other options aren’t as accurate for this purpose.