This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of security concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A security engineer is configuring a Cisco ASA to block traffic from a specific IP address. Which access control entry (ACE) should be applied to the inbound direction of the outside interface?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
access-list outside_in extended deny ip host 10.1.1.1 any
Option B is correct because the ACE uses the 'ip' protocol to block all traffic from the specific source host 10.1.1.1 to any destination, which is the most comprehensive way to block all IP traffic from that address. In Cisco ASA ACLs, the order of source and destination is 'source destination', so 'deny ip host 10.1.1.1 any' correctly matches packets with source IP 10.1.1.1 and any destination, applied inbound on the outside interface to block traffic entering the network.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
access-list outside_in extended deny ip any host 10.1.1.1
Why it's wrong here
Blocks all IP traffic to the host, not from it.
✓
access-list outside_in extended deny ip host 10.1.1.1 any
Why this is correct
Correctly blocks all IP traffic from the specified host.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
access-list outside_in extended deny tcp any host 10.1.1.1
access-list outside_in extended deny tcp host 10.1.1.1 any eq 80
Why it's wrong here
Only blocks HTTP traffic from the host, not all traffic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the source-destination order in ACL syntax, and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly reverse the order (putting the target IP as the destination instead of the source) or unnecessarily restrict the protocol, thinking that blocking TCP alone is sufficient.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Cisco ASA ACLs process packets in a first-match order, and the 'ip' keyword in an ACE matches all IP protocols (TCP, UDP, ICMP, etc.) as defined in RFC 791. When blocking a specific source IP, using 'ip' ensures complete coverage, whereas specifying a protocol like TCP leaves the device vulnerable to attacks using other protocols (e.g., UDP floods or ICMP ping sweeps). In real-world scenarios, a security engineer might also consider adding an implicit deny at the end of the ACL, but the explicit deny for the source IP is the primary requirement.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security Concepts — This question tests Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: access-list outside_in extended deny ip host 10.1.1.1 any — Option B is correct because the ACE uses the 'ip' protocol to block all traffic from the specific source host 10.1.1.1 to any destination, which is the most comprehensive way to block all IP traffic from that address. In Cisco ASA ACLs, the order of source and destination is 'source destination', so 'deny ip host 10.1.1.1 any' correctly matches packets with source IP 10.1.1.1 and any destination, applied inbound on the outside interface to block traffic entering the network.
What should I do if I get this 350-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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