The answer is that the host is likely infected with malware. This conclusion is drawn because the IDS alerts show repeated connections from the same source IP to a known malicious domain, evil.com, using a suspicious user-agent string—a classic pattern of malware beaconing detection from known malicious domain traffic, where infected hosts periodically check in with a command-and-control server. On the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish true positives from false positives by correlating multiple alert attributes, such as destination reputation and user-agent anomalies, rather than relying on a single alert. A common trap is dismissing repeated alerts as benign noise, but the combination of a known bad domain and consistent beaconing behavior strongly indicates compromise. Memory tip: think “same source, same bad domain, same odd user-agent” as the beaconing trifecta—if all three align, it’s malware, not a glitch.
200-201 Network Intrusion Analysis Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of network intrusion analysis. 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.
Event: 1, Signature: GPL TROJAN Zeus Variant Outbound Connection
Timestamp: 2023-09-15 14:23:45
Src IP: 10.0.0.25:49152 -> Dst IP: 198.51.100.10:80
Protocol: TCP
Packet: GET /gate.php HTTP/1.1
Host: malware.example.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:45.0)
Event: 2, Signature: ET POLICY Outgoing HTTP Request with Suspicious User-Agent
Timestamp: 2023-09-15 14:23:46
Src IP: 10.0.0.25:49153 -> Dst IP: 198.51.100.10:80
Protocol: TCP
Packet: GET /images/logo.png HTTP/1.1
Host: malware.example.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:45.0)
Refer to the exhibit. The analyst sees two IDS alerts from the same source. What should the analyst conclude?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The host is likely infected with malware
The correct answer is C because the IDS alerts indicate the same source IP is communicating with a known malicious domain (evil.com) using a suspicious user-agent string. This pattern of repeated connections to a known bad destination is characteristic of malware beaconing or command-and-control (C2) traffic, not a false positive or benign activity.
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.
✗
The alerts are false positives because the user-agent is common
Multiple alerts to a known malicious domain suggest infection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The host is downloading a large file
Why it's wrong here
The GET requests are small, not large files.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between a false positive and a true positive by making candidates focus on the user-agent being common, but the key is that the destination is known malicious, not the user-agent's commonality.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Malware beaconing often uses periodic HTTP/HTTPS requests to a C2 server with a consistent user-agent string to blend in with normal traffic. The IDS signature likely triggered on the combination of the known bad domain and the specific user-agent, which is a common technique to detect malware that uses hardcoded C2 endpoints. In real-world scenarios, analysts would correlate these alerts with other indicators like DNS queries to the same domain or unusual outbound traffic patterns to confirm infection.
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.
Network Intrusion Analysis — This question tests Network Intrusion Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The host is likely infected with malware — The correct answer is C because the IDS alerts indicate the same source IP is communicating with a known malicious domain (evil.com) using a suspicious user-agent string. This pattern of repeated connections to a known bad destination is characteristic of malware beaconing or command-and-control (C2) traffic, not a false positive or benign activity.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A NetFlow analysis shows a single internal host communicating with many external IP addresses on port 443, but the traffic volumes are very low (small packets). What is the most likely explanation?
easy
A.Phishing
B.Web browsing
C.Port scanning
✓ D.C2 communication
Why D: The combination of a single internal host communicating with many external IPs on port 443 (HTTPS) with very low traffic volumes and small packets is a classic indicator of command-and-control (C2) beaconing. C2 malware often uses HTTPS to blend in with legitimate web traffic, but the small, periodic packets (e.g., keep-alive or heartbeat messages) distinguish it from normal web browsing, which would involve larger data transfers and consistent payload sizes.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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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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