Why is Telnet considered unsafe for remote administration?

Why is Telnet considered unsafe for remote administration?

• A. Poor authentication
• B. No encryption
• C. High bandwidth usage
• D. Nonstandard port

Answer: (B)

Telnet is unsafe for remote administration because it does not encrypt the session. All text—usernames, passwords, commands, and responses—travels in plaintext, so anyone who can sniff the network can read or capture the entire session. That means credentials can be stolen, and commands or data could be watched or altered in transit. Secure alternatives like SSH provide encryption, integrity, and authentication to protect the session. The other options miss the fundamental issue: encryption protects confidentiality, which is the core risk with Telnet.

Telnet is unsafe for remote administration because it does not encrypt the session. All text—usernames, passwords, commands, and responses—travels in plaintext, so anyone who can sniff the network can read or capture the entire session. That means credentials can be stolen, and commands or data could be watched or altered in transit. Secure alternatives like SSH provide encryption, integrity, and authentication to protect the session. The other options miss the fundamental issue: encryption protects confidentiality, which is the core risk with Telnet.