Which protocol is commonly used to secure the administration of a switch?

Secure Shell (SSH) is the protocol commonly used to secure the administration of a switch because it provides a secure, encrypted communication channel over an unsecured network. SSH is specifically designed to replace insecure protocols like Telnet, which transmits data in plaintext, making it vulnerable to interception and eavesdropping.

By using SSH, administrators can securely log into network devices, manage configurations, and execute commands without the risk of exposing sensitive information such as passwords. The encryption offered by SSH ensures that all data transmitted between the client and the switch is protected from unauthorized access.

While HTTPS provides a secure method for web-based communication and is essential for accessing network devices via a web interface, it is less commonly used for command-line administration compared to SSH. FTP is not secure and is similarly vulnerable to interception, and Telnet lacks encryption, making it unsuitable for secure administration tasks.