- A
HTTP post
Why wrong: HTTP post on port 80 is unencrypted but less common for large volumes.
- B
HTTPS exfiltration
HTTPS provides encryption, making detection harder, and large volumes are suspicious.
- C
ICMP tunneling
Why wrong: ICMP tunneling uses ping packets, typically low volume.
- D
DNS tunneling
Why wrong: DNS tunneling uses DNS queries/responses to exfiltrate data, typically low volume.
Question 321 of 1,000
200-201 Security Monitoring Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security monitoring. 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 network analyst notices that a host is sending a large volume of traffic to an external IP address on port 443 during non-business hours. The traffic volume is significantly higher than the established baseline. Which type of data exfiltration technique should be suspected?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
HTTPS exfiltration
Port 443 is the default port for HTTPS (HTTP over TLS). The large volume of traffic during non-business hours, exceeding the baseline, strongly suggests the attacker is using encrypted HTTPS connections to hide data exfiltration. Unlike plaintext HTTP, HTTPS encryption makes it difficult for network monitoring tools to inspect the payload, allowing the attacker to blend malicious traffic with legitimate encrypted web traffic.
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.
- ✗
HTTP post
Why it's wrong here
HTTP post on port 80 is unencrypted but less common for large volumes.
- ✓
HTTPS exfiltration
Why this is correct
HTTPS provides encryption, making detection harder, and large volumes are suspicious.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
ICMP tunneling
Why it's wrong here
ICMP tunneling uses ping packets, typically low volume.
- ✗
DNS tunneling
Why it's wrong here
DNS tunneling uses DNS queries/responses to exfiltrate data, typically low volume.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the association of common protocols with their default ports; the trap here is that candidates might see 'large volume of traffic' and immediately think of HTTP post (option A) without noticing the port number 443, which clearly indicates encrypted HTTPS traffic.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
HTTPS exfiltration leverages TLS encryption to wrap stolen data in seemingly normal web traffic. Attackers often use compromised credentials or stolen certificates to establish a TLS session to an external command-and-control server. In real-world scenarios, the traffic may be disguised as API calls or file uploads to cloud storage services, making it extremely difficult to distinguish from legitimate business traffic without deep packet inspection or TLS decryption.
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 practitioner preparing for the 200-201 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-201 question test?
Security Monitoring — This question tests Security Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: HTTPS exfiltration — Port 443 is the default port for HTTPS (HTTP over TLS). The large volume of traffic during non-business hours, exceeding the baseline, strongly suggests the attacker is using encrypted HTTPS connections to hide data exfiltration. Unlike plaintext HTTP, HTTPS encryption makes it difficult for network monitoring tools to inspect the payload, allowing the attacker to blend malicious traffic with legitimate encrypted web traffic.
What should I do if I get this 200-201 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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.
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