This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security monitoring. 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.
Which TWO are common indicators of a compromised host? (Choose two.)
User logging in during business hours.
Why wrong: Normal behavior.
Scheduled tasks running at regular intervals.
Why wrong: Often legitimate; not necessarily malicious.
Unusual spikes in outbound network traffic at odd hours.
May indicate data exfiltration.
Unexpected outbound connections to known malicious IPs.
Common C2 communication indicator.
Antivirus updates occurring daily.
Why wrong: Normal behavior.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Unusual spikes in outbound network traffic at odd hours.
Unusual spikes in outbound network traffic at odd hours (Option C) are a common indicator of a compromised host because they often signal data exfiltration, command-and-control (C2) beaconing, or botnet activity. Attackers frequently schedule malicious traffic during off-peak hours to evade detection, and the abnormal volume or timing relative to baseline behavior is a key anomaly in security monitoring.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
User logging in during business hours.
Why it's wrong here
Normal behavior.
Scheduled tasks running at regular intervals.
Why it's wrong here
Often legitimate; not necessarily malicious.
Unusual spikes in outbound network traffic at odd hours.
Why this is correct
May indicate data exfiltration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Unexpected outbound connections to known malicious IPs.
Why this is correct
Common C2 communication indicator.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Antivirus updates occurring daily.
Why it's wrong here
Normal behavior.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between normal administrative activity (scheduled tasks, daily updates) and true behavioral anomalies (unusual timing, unexpected destinations), so candidates must avoid confusing routine operations with compromise indicators.
Detailed technical explanation
Outbound traffic analysis relies on NetFlow or IPFIX data to establish baselines of typical volume, protocol, and destination patterns. A sudden spike in outbound traffic to a new or rare destination IP, especially on non-standard ports (e.g., TCP 4444, UDP 53 for DNS tunneling), can indicate C2 beaconing or data exfiltration. In real-world scenarios, attackers use tools like Cobalt Strike or Metasploit to generate periodic beacon traffic that mimics legitimate HTTP/HTTPS but deviates in timing or payload size.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Security Monitoring — This question tests Security Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Unusual spikes in outbound network traffic at odd hours. — Unusual spikes in outbound network traffic at odd hours (Option C) are a common indicator of a compromised host because they often signal data exfiltration, command-and-control (C2) beaconing, or botnet activity. Attackers frequently schedule malicious traffic during off-peak hours to evade detection, and the abnormal volume or timing relative to baseline behavior is a key anomaly in security monitoring.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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