Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

Which aspect of a network would be most affected by high latency?

1. Data integrity

2. Data transfer speed

3. Network security

4. Device compatibility

The correct answer is: Data transfer speed

High latency primarily affects data transfer speed in a network. Latency refers to the delay before data begins to transfer from source to destination, which can lead to noticeable delays in the communication process. When latency is high, packets of data may take longer to travel across the network, resulting in slower response times for applications and services. This is especially critical in real-time communications or applications that require synchronous data transfer, such as video calls or online gaming, where delays can disrupt the experience. While aspects like data integrity, network security, and device compatibility are important considerations in networking, they are not directly impacted by latency in the same way that data transfer speed is. Data integrity refers to the accuracy and reliability of the data being transmitted; network security focuses on protecting data from unauthorized access and attacks; and device compatibility pertains to whether different devices can work together within a network. These factors may have their own performance considerations, but high latency specifically results in slower data transfer rates, making it the aspect most influenced by increased latency.