A Layer 2 encryption standard that encrypts Ethernet traffic on a per-frame basis.
Standardized as IEEE 802.1AE. While IPsec protects Layer 3 (IP packets), MACsec encrypts at the level of the physical link itself—between switches, or between a switch and a host—protecting against eavesdropping and tampering at an even lower layer.
© 2026 ITBGM