easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
200-201 Practice Question: Which TWO actions are characteristic of a port…
Which TWO actions are characteristic of a port scan performed by an attacker? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between a port scan's core mechanism (SYN packets without completing the handshake) and optional evasion techniques (like low rate or IP spoofing), leading candidates to mistakenly choose evasion methods as defining characteristics.
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
✓
Using TCP SYN packets without completing the three-way handshake.
A is correct because a TCP SYN scan sends a SYN packet to initiate a connection but never completes the three-way handshake by sending the final ACK. This allows the attacker to determine if a port is open (SYN-ACK received) or closed (RST received) without establishing a full connection, which helps evade some logging mechanisms.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Using TCP SYN packets without completing the three-way handshake.
Why this is correct
SYN scans are a common stealth scanning technique.
- ✓
Sending multiple connection requests to various ports on a single host.
Why this is correct
This is a basic characteristic of a port scan.
- ✗
Randomly selecting target ports without any pattern.
Why it's wrong here
Most scanners use sequential or known port lists.
- ✗
Spoofing the source IP address to evade detection.
Why it's wrong here
Spoofing is uncommon in port scans because the attacker needs responses; SYN scans use a real IP.
- ✗
Sending packets at a very low rate to avoid triggering threshold-based alerts.
Why it's wrong here
Low rate scanning is an evasion technique, not a defining characteristic of a port scan.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 200-201 question from scratch — 979 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.