A metro fiber consortium carries traffic for several cities. One network team proposes skipping encryption on overlays because 'the underlay fiber is private.' Which conclusion is correct?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Calling fiber 'private' doesn’t mean every technician and tenant on that glass is on your team. If the underlay is shared or third-party, still wrap sensitive city traffic in encryption you control—trust is earned, not assumed.
Full Explanation
Secure design distinguishes underlay transport from overlay or application trust. Multi-tenant or consortium fiber can still permit misconfiguration, insider access, or cross-tenant exposure. Encryption and authentication at overlay or higher layers remain appropriate when the underlay is not fully trusted, rather than relying on physical private labeling alone.