200-201 Network Intrusion Analysis Practice Question
A SOC analyst is investigating a suspected data exfiltration. Which THREE indicators in network traffic are most consistent with exfiltration? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between normal and malicious traffic patterns; the trap here is that candidates may mistake any encrypted or high-volume traffic (like CDN or HTTPS) as suspicious, when in fact exfiltration indicators require specific anomalies like unusual timing, encoding, or file-size discrepancies.
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
✓
Large outbound data transfers to an external IP at unusual hours
Large outbound data transfers to an external IP at unusual hours (A) are a classic indicator of data exfiltration because attackers often move stolen data during off-peak times to evade detection. This behavior deviates from normal business traffic patterns and can be flagged by network monitoring tools as anomalous. The volume and timing together suggest intentional data theft rather than routine operations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Large outbound data transfers to an external IP at unusual hours
Why this is correct
Anomalous large transfers are typical for exfiltration.
- ✓
Images with unusual file sizes but normal resolution
Why this is correct
Steganography often changes file size.
- ✓
DNS queries with base64-encoded subdomains
Why this is correct
DNS exfiltration uses encoded subdomains.
- ✗
Consistent HTTPS traffic to a CDN
Why it's wrong here
CDN traffic is normal for many services.
- ✗
Increased inbound web traffic
Why it's wrong here
Inbound traffic is not exfiltration.
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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.