200-201 Security Concepts Practice Question
A security analyst is investigating an alert about a workstation that is repeatedly resolving domain names for known malicious command-and-control servers. The analyst wants to determine whether the workstation is infected with malware that uses DNS for communication. Which type of malware behavior is most likely occurring?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse DNS tunneling with other network attacks; the key indicator is repeated DNS resolutions to malicious domains, not ARP or web-based attacks.
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
✓
DNS tunneling
DNS tunneling is a technique where malware encodes command-and-control or data exfiltration traffic inside DNS queries and responses. Repeated resolutions of known malicious domains from a single workstation strongly suggest this behavior. The other options describe different attack types that do not match the DNS-centric evidence in the scenario.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
DNS tunneling
Why this is correct
DNS tunneling encapsulates command-and-control traffic within DNS queries and responses, often to domains controlled by an attacker. Repeated resolution of malicious domains is a strong indicator of this behavior. The scenario describes the workstation repeatedly resolving domain names for known malicious C2 servers, which aligns with DNS tunneling used by malware to exfiltrate data or receive instructions.
- ✗
SQL injection
Why it's wrong here
SQL injection targets database-driven applications by inserting malicious SQL statements into input fields. It does not cause a workstation to repeatedly resolve malicious domain names. The scenario is about network-based command-and-control communication via DNS, not about exploiting a web application's database queries.
- ✗
Cross-site scripting
Why it's wrong here
Cross-site scripting injects malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, often to steal session cookies. It does not involve a workstation resolving command-and-control domains. The observed behavior is DNS-based communication with malicious servers, which is unrelated to XSS, a web application vulnerability.
- ✗
ARP spoofing
Why it's wrong here
ARP spoofing is a man-in-the-middle technique that maps an attacker's MAC address to a legitimate IP address on the local network. It does not involve repeated DNS resolutions to malicious domains. The scenario focuses on DNS queries to command-and-control servers, not on Layer 2 address manipulation, so ARP spoofing is not the behavior described.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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.