What occurs during a data collision in a network?

During a data collision in a network, signals from multiple nodes overlap. This phenomenon typically occurs in shared communication mediums, such as those using Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD), which is common in Ethernet networks. When two or more nodes attempt to transmit data simultaneously over the same channel, their signals can interfere with each other, leading to a collision. As a result, the data packets may become corrupted, and the affected nodes must cease their transmission and attempt to retransmit after a random time interval, thereby introducing latency and reducing the overall efficiency of the network.

The other options do not accurately represent what occurs during a collision. While successful communication, secure data transmission, and optimized network performance are desirable outcomes, they do not align with the realities of a collision event in networking scenarios. In fact, a collision is a disruptive event that negatively impacts network performance and communication reliability.