Question: At which layer is ciphering protection applied between the User Equipment (UE) and the gNB in a 5G network?
Option 1: RLC (Radio Link Control) Layer
Option 2: PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) Layer
Option 3: MAC (Media Access Control) Layer
Option 4: IP (Internet Protocol) Layer
Explanation: In the context of 5G network security, ciphering protection for data confidentiality is applied at the PDCP layer. This ensures that data transmitted between the UE and the gNB remains encrypted and secure. The PDCP layer handles security functions such as encryption (ciphering) and integrity protection.