- A
Remove the 'destination port' field
Why wrong: Removing constraints makes the rule broader, increasing false positives.
- B
Set a 'threshold' to limit the number of alerts per time window
Threshold reduces repeated alerts from the same source.
- C
Increase the 'priority' value
Why wrong: Priority affects alert severity, not specificity.
- D
Add a 'content' field to match specific bytes
Content matching narrows the rule to specific payloads.
- E
Change the action from 'alert' to 'log'
Why wrong: Action type does not affect false positives.
Question 851 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 security analyst is tuning a Snort IDS to reduce false positives. Which TWO Snort rule options should the analyst modify to make the rule more specific?
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
✓
Set a 'threshold' to limit the number of alerts per time window
Option B is correct because setting a 'threshold' in Snort limits the number of alerts generated for a given rule within a specified time window, which directly reduces false positives by suppressing repeated alerts from benign traffic that matches the rule pattern. Option D is correct because adding a 'content' field forces the rule to match specific bytes in the packet payload, making the rule more precise and less likely to trigger on unrelated 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.
- ✗
Remove the 'destination port' field
Why it's wrong here
Removing constraints makes the rule broader, increasing false positives.
- ✓
Set a 'threshold' to limit the number of alerts per time window
Why this is correct
Threshold reduces repeated alerts from the same source.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the 'priority' value
Why it's wrong here
Priority affects alert severity, not specificity.
- ✓
Add a 'content' field to match specific bytes
Why this is correct
Content matching narrows the rule to specific payloads.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Change the action from 'alert' to 'log'
Why it's wrong here
Action type does not affect false positives.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that increasing the 'priority' value makes a rule more important or specific, when in fact a lower numeric value (e.g., 1) indicates higher priority, and changing it does not affect rule specificity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'threshold' option in Snort uses a 'type' parameter (e.g., 'limit', 'threshold', 'both') to control alert frequency; for example, 'threshold: type limit, track by_src, count 5, seconds 60' limits alerts to 5 per source IP per minute. The 'content' option can include modifiers like 'depth', 'offset', and 'distance' to narrow byte matching, such as 'content:"|00 01|'; depth:10;' to match only within the first 10 bytes of the payload. In real-world tuning, combining these options helps distinguish legitimate application traffic from malicious patterns, such as reducing false positives from HTTP GET requests that match a generic exploit signature.
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: Set a 'threshold' to limit the number of alerts per time window — Option B is correct because setting a 'threshold' in Snort limits the number of alerts generated for a given rule within a specified time window, which directly reduces false positives by suppressing repeated alerts from benign traffic that matches the rule pattern. Option D is correct because adding a 'content' field forces the rule to match specific bytes in the packet payload, making the rule more precise and less likely to trigger on unrelated 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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