- A
Active reconnaissance
Why wrong: Active reconnaissance involves direct interaction, such as port scanning.
- B
Social engineering
Why wrong: Social engineering manipulates people; this scenario only uses public data.
- C
Passive reconnaissance
Using public sources like LinkedIn and Google without touching the target's systems is passive.
- D
Internal reconnaissance
Why wrong: Internal reconnaissance occurs after gaining access to the internal network.
Question 204 of 1,000
200-201 Security Concepts Practice Question
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.
During a penetration test, a security engineer uses publicly available information from LinkedIn and Google to gather details about employees and organizational structure. Which type of reconnaissance is being performed?
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
✓
Passive reconnaissance
Option C is correct because the security engineer is gathering information from publicly available sources (LinkedIn, Google) without directly interacting with the target's systems. This is the definition of passive reconnaissance, which involves collecting data from open-source intelligence (OSINT) without sending any packets to the target network.
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.
- ✗
Active reconnaissance
Why it's wrong here
Active reconnaissance involves direct interaction, such as port scanning.
- ✗
Social engineering
Why it's wrong here
Social engineering manipulates people; this scenario only uses public data.
- ✓
Passive reconnaissance
Why this is correct
Using public sources like LinkedIn and Google without touching the target's systems is passive.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Internal reconnaissance
Why it's wrong here
Internal reconnaissance occurs after gaining access to the internal network.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between active and passive reconnaissance by describing an activity that uses public sources but might seem 'active' to a novice; the trap here is confusing passive information gathering with active scanning or social engineering.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Social engineering manipulates people; this scenario only uses public data.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Passive reconnaissance relies on OSINT techniques, such as analyzing DNS records (e.g., using `dig` or `nslookup`), WHOIS lookups, and scraping social media profiles. Under the hood, no packets are sent to the target's infrastructure, so no logs are generated on the target's side, making it stealthy. In a real-world scenario, an attacker might use LinkedIn to identify employees and their roles, then cross-reference with Google to find exposed documents or email formats, aiding in a targeted phishing campaign.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-201 question test?
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: Passive reconnaissance — Option C is correct because the security engineer is gathering information from publicly available sources (LinkedIn, Google) without directly interacting with the target's systems. This is the definition of passive reconnaissance, which involves collecting data from open-source intelligence (OSINT) without sending any packets to the target network.
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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