How is SSH different from Telnet?

• A. SSH makes connections over the network, whereas Telnet is for out-of-band access.
• B. SSH provides security to remote sessions by encrypting messages and using user authentication. Telnet is considered insecure and sends messages in plaintext.
• C. SSH requires the use of the PuTTY terminal emulation program. Tera Term must be used to connect to devices through the use of Telnet.
• D. SSH must be configured over an active network connection, whereas Telnet is used to connect to a device from a console connection.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that SSH protects remote logins by encryption and user authentication, while Telnet does not. SSH creates an encrypted channel between client and server, so everything you send—username, password, commands, and data—travels unseen by anyone who might intercept the traffic. It also offers robust authentication, often using keys, so you can be confident you’re talking to the legitimate device. Telnet, on the other hand, sends all traffic in plaintext, including credentials, so anyone monitoring the network can read it or even modify it. That makes Telnet insecure for managing devices over untrusted networks.

Because of this, SSH is the preferred method for remote management (typically using port 22), while Telnet is considered insecure and largely obsolete for secure administration. The other options don’t capture this fundamental difference: SSH isn’t defined by needing a specific terminal program, and both protocols are used over networks rather than exclusively over console connections.