This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security concepts. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
%ASA-4-106023: Deny tcp src outside:203.0.113.45/56789 dst inside:10.1.1.100/80 by access-group "outside_in"
An analyst reviews the Cisco ASA syslog message shown in the exhibit. What does this entry indicate?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
An attempted connection from an external host to an internal web server that was blocked by the firewall
The syslog message shows a deny action for an HTTP connection (port 80) from an external IP (outside) to an internal IP (inside). The '%ASA-4-106023' message indicates a packet was denied by the firewall's access control list (ACL). This matches the scenario of an attempted external-to-internal web connection being blocked, which is option C.
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 successful HTTP connection from the outside to the inside server
Why it's wrong here
The message clearly states "Deny", not "Permit".
✗
A VPN tunnel initiation that was rejected due to authentication failure
Why it's wrong here
There is no indication of VPN or authentication in the message.
✓
An attempted connection from an external host to an internal web server that was blocked by the firewall
Why this is correct
Correctly describes the denied inbound TCP connection to port 80.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A NAT translation failure for an outbound connection
Why it's wrong here
The source is outside and destination inside, indicating an inbound connection; no NAT failure is mentioned.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the ability to distinguish between different syslog message IDs (e.g., 106023 for ACL denies vs. 305006 for NAT failures) and to correctly interpret the 'Deny' keyword as a block, not a successful connection.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The syslog message '%ASA-4-106023' is generated when a packet is denied by an interface ACL. The fields include source and destination IPs, protocol (TCP), and port (80 for HTTP). In a real-world scenario, this could indicate a misconfigured inbound ACL that blocks legitimate web traffic or a deliberate security policy to prevent external access to an internal web server. Understanding the difference between ACL denies and NAT failures is critical for troubleshooting connectivity issues.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security Concepts — This question tests Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: An attempted connection from an external host to an internal web server that was blocked by the firewall — The syslog message shows a deny action for an HTTP connection (port 80) from an external IP (outside) to an internal IP (inside). The '%ASA-4-106023' message indicates a packet was denied by the firewall's access control list (ACL). This matches the scenario of an attempted external-to-internal web connection being blocked, which is option C.
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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Question Discussion
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