Which acronym expands to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol?

• A. Local Directory Access Protocol
• B. Layered Directory Access Protocol
• C. Light Data Access Protocol
• D. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol

Answer: (D)

LDAP stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. This protocol is used to reach and manage information in directory services, such as user accounts, groups, and other resources stored in a directory like OpenLDAP or Active Directory. The “Lightweight” part notes that it is a simpler, more efficient version of the older X.500 DAP, designed to run over TCP/IP. In practice, LDAP lets you search, add, modify, or authenticate entries in a directory, which is why it’s commonly encountered in security assessments when exploring directory services or validating authentication flows. The other phrases aren’t standard expansions for this acronym, so they don’t fit the established terminology.