Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Practice Exam

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Which layer of the OSI model does TCP correspond to?

Application layer
Network layer
Transport layer
Data link layer

The correct answer is: Transport layer

TCP, or Transmission Control Protocol, is primarily associated with the Transport layer of the OSI model. This layer is responsible for ensuring reliable communication between devices over a network. TCP operates at this level to provide services such as connection-oriented communication, flow control, and error recovery, which are essential for maintaining the integrity and reliability of data transmission between applications running on different hosts. This reliable service allows for the establishment of a connection between sender and receiver before transmitting data, enabling the sequential delivery of packets and the reassembly of data at the destination. This is particularly crucial for applications that require a guaranteed delivery mechanism, such as web browsing or file transfers. In contrast, the other layers of the OSI model serve different purposes. The Application layer focuses on user interface and application-specific functions, the Network layer handles routing and forwarding of data packets, and the Data Link layer is responsible for node-to-node data transfer and handling error detection and correction in the physical layer. Understanding these distinctions is essential for grasping how TCP fits into the broader context of network communications.