- A
A DNS query resolved to 10.0.0.1
Why wrong: DNS queries use UDP port 53, not TCP 22.
- B
An attempted SSH connection that was blocked by the firewall
Deny action indicates the firewall blocked the packet.
- C
A successful SSH connection from 192.168.1.100 to 10.0.0.1
Why wrong: The action is 'deny', so connection was blocked.
- D
A misconfigured firewall allowing SSH traffic
Why wrong: The log shows deny, not allow.
Question 228 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 SOC analyst reviews a firewall log with the following entry: action=deny, source IP=192.168.1.100, destination IP=10.0.0.1, destination port=22. The analyst knows that 10.0.0.1 is an SSH server. What does this log entry indicate?
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
✓
An attempted SSH connection that was blocked by the firewall
The log entry shows 'action=deny', which explicitly indicates the firewall blocked the packet. Since destination port 22 is the default port for SSH, this log entry represents an attempted SSH connection from 192.168.1.100 to 10.0.0.1 that was denied by the firewall. The analyst's knowledge that 10.0.0.1 is an SSH server confirms the nature of the 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.
- ✗
A DNS query resolved to 10.0.0.1
- ✓
An attempted SSH connection that was blocked by the firewall
Why this is correct
Deny action indicates the firewall blocked the packet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A successful SSH connection from 192.168.1.100 to 10.0.0.1
Why it's wrong here
The action is 'deny', so connection was blocked.
- ✗
A misconfigured firewall allowing SSH traffic
Why it's wrong here
The log shows deny, not allow.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the ability to read a firewall log entry literally—candidates may overlook the 'action=deny' field and incorrectly assume any connection attempt to port 22 is automatically successful or that the firewall is misconfigured.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The log shows deny, not allow.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Firewall logs typically include fields such as action, source IP, destination IP, and destination port to record whether traffic was permitted or denied. SSH operates on TCP port 22, and a deny action means the firewall dropped the TCP SYN packet before a three-way handshake could be established. In a real-world scenario, this could indicate a security policy blocking remote administration from an untrusted internal host (192.168.1.100) to a critical server.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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: An attempted SSH connection that was blocked by the firewall — The log entry shows 'action=deny', which explicitly indicates the firewall blocked the packet. Since destination port 22 is the default port for SSH, this log entry represents an attempted SSH connection from 192.168.1.100 to 10.0.0.1 that was denied by the firewall. The analyst's knowledge that 10.0.0.1 is an SSH server confirms the nature of the 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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