Which characteristic is associated with a connectionless protocol like UDP?

A connectionless protocol, such as UDP (User Datagram Protocol), is characterized by its approach to data transmission, which does not involve the overhead of establishing a connection before sending data. This means that UDP allows for faster data transfer since it bypasses the connection establishment phase seen in connection-oriented protocols like TCP (Transmission Control Protocol).

One of the key features of UDP is that it sends data packets as independent units called datagrams, without ensuring that they reach their destination. There is no delivery confirmation or error correction, which is why it is considered a "connectionless" protocol. This approach is particularly beneficial in scenarios where speed is critical and occasional data loss is acceptable, such as in live audio or video streaming.

In contrast to the other options, reliable data transfer with delivery confirmation is a characteristic of connection-oriented protocols, while connections established before data transmission are also specific to these types of protocols. With regard to security, UDP does not inherently provide more security than other protocols; the security features depend on additional layers rather than the protocol itself. Therefore, the significant takeaway is that the nature of UDP allows for rapid transmission of data without guarantees, making option C the correct choice.