Final answer:
Removable drives are the storage devices most likely to require encryption technology to maintain data security in a networked environment, due to their portability and increased risk of theft or loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question you've asked is related to data security within a networked environment. The storage device among the options provided that is most likely to require encryption technology to maintain data security would be B. Removable drives. Removable drives, such as USB flash drives or external hard drives, are portable and can easily be moved from one computer to another, increasing the risk of data loss or theft.
These drives work by magnetically encoding information, allowing for the data to be quickly stored or retrieved. Because these drives can be physically removed and carried away, it is often essential to use encryption technology to protect the data they contain. Encryption ensures that even if a removable drive falls into the wrong hands, the data would remain inaccessible without the correct decryption key.
In contrast, while hard disks also store sensitive data and might use encryption for security, they are generally fixed within the computer and less likely to be stolen. Backup tapes are usually stored securely off-site and are not as easily accessed for frequent data transfer, and RAM is volatile memory which loses its data when the power is off and thus is not typically a focus for encryption for data at rest.
The use of encryption technology helps to safeguard sensitive information against unauthorized access and is a critical component of a comprehensive security strategy in a networked environment,