200-201 Security Monitoring Practice Question
A security analyst is reviewing a Wireshark capture and notices a large number of TCP SYN packets sent to multiple ports on a single host from the same source IP. Which type of network activity is most likely being observed?
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
✓
Port scan
A port scan is characterized by multiple connection attempts to different ports on a target host, often using SYN packets.
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 amplification attack
Why it's wrong here
A DNS amplification attack uses DNS queries to flood a victim with large responses.
- ✗
ARP spoofing
Why it's wrong here
ARP spoofing links a threat actor’s MAC address to the IP address of a legitimate host on a local network, enabling interception of traffic at Layer 2; it does not generate a flood of TCP SYN packets to multiple ports from a single source. This option is tempting because ARP spoofing is a common reconnaissance technique, and in a scenario where the analyst observed ARP replies poisoning the target’s ARP cache to redirect traffic, it would be the correct choice.
- ✓
Port scan
Why this is correct
Multiple SYN packets to different ports indicate a port scan.
- ✗
Man-in-the-middle attack
Why it's wrong here
A man-in-the-middle attack intercepts communication between two parties, not typically indicated by many SYN packets.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.