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200-201 Practice Question: During a security incident, an analyst uses…
During a security incident, an analyst uses Wireshark to examine a pcap. The TCP stream shows the string 'GET /malware.exe HTTP/1.1'. Which is the most likely type of attack?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between attack types based on the specific HTTP method and payload; the trap here is that candidates may confuse a simple file download with injection-based attacks like XSS or SQLi, overlooking that the GET request for an executable directly indicates a Trojan download rather than an injection vector.
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
✓
Trojan download
The TCP stream shows an HTTP GET request for a file named 'malware.exe', which indicates the client is downloading an executable from a server. This is characteristic of a Trojan download attack, where a user is tricked into downloading and executing malicious software, often disguised as a legitimate file. The use of Wireshark to capture the HTTP request confirms the network-level activity of a file transfer, aligning with the Trojan's delivery mechanism.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cross-site scripting
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of script tags or JavaScript.
- ✓
Trojan download
Why this is correct
Request to download an executable is typical of malware delivery.
- ✗
Directory traversal
Why it's wrong here
No '../' or similar path manipulation.
- ✗
SQL injection
Why it's wrong here
Request does not contain SQL commands.
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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.