Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Practice Test

Which three ESMTP extensions are supported by the Cisco ASA? (Choose three)

1. 8BITMIME

2. STARTTLS

3. NOOP

4. PIPELINING

The correct answer is: STARTTLS

The answer highlights one of the ESMTP extensions crucial to enhancing email security and efficiency. STARTTLS is an extension that allows for the negotiation of secure encrypted communication during the email transmission process. This is particularly important for protecting the confidentiality and integrity of email messages sent over potentially insecure networks. When a connection is established, STARTTLS enables the email client and server to upgrade an existing insecure connection to a secure one via Transport Layer Security (TLS). When discussing the other extensions, 8BITMIME is used to allow email messages to include 8-bit data, which supports non-ASCII characters but is not specifically a focus for the Cisco ASA. NOOP is a command used in communication protocols but does not carry the same relevance for email security as STARTTLS. PIPELINING allows for multiple SMTP commands to be sent without waiting for the corresponding responses, which can improve performance but does not address security or encryption needs. Overall, the inclusion of STARTTLS is essential for modern email practices, particularly when implemented in devices like the Cisco ASA that offer email security solutions.