hardMultiple Select
200-201 Practice Question: Which TWO network behaviors suggest an ARP…
Which TWO network behaviors suggest an ARP spoofing attack is occurring? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between normal ARP traffic (e.g., broadcasts for resolution) and malicious ARP behavior (e.g., multiple IPs on one MAC or MAC-IP mismatches), so candidates mistakenly choose high ARP volume or TCP RSTs as spoofing indicators.
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
✓
Packets originating from a MAC address that does not match the IP's legitimate MAC
Option C is correct because in ARP spoofing the attacker sends forged ARP replies that bind its own MAC address to a victim's IP address, so traffic for that IP arrives from a MAC that does not match the legitimate owner's MAC. Option E is correct because a classic ARP poisoning signature is multiple IP addresses (for example, the gateway and another host) resolving to the same attacker MAC address, indicating the attacker is impersonating several hosts. Option A is not specific to ARP spoofing, since TCP RST floods indicate session teardown or DoS activity rather than ARP cache manipulation. Option B is not a reliable indicator, as a single host sending many ARP requests is normal behavior during address resolution or scanning. Option D is also weak, because increased broadcast ARP traffic can result from legitimate network growth, misconfiguration, or scanning and does not by itself prove spoofing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A high number of TCP RST packets
Why it's wrong here
TCP RST packets indicate refused or abruptly closed TCP connections, which points to port scanning or service disruption, not ARP cache manipulation. It is tempting because ARP spoofing often precedes man-in-the-middle interception that can reset connections, but the RSTs are a consequence of the attack traffic, not the ARP behaviour itself.
- ✗
A single host sending numerous ARP requests
Why it's wrong here
Many ARP requests from one host is typical of scanning or a misconfigured device, not spoofing; the signature is forged ARP replies that remap an IP to the attacker's MAC. It is tempting because spoofing tools do generate ARP traffic, but request volume alone does not demonstrate cache poisoning.
- ✓
Packets originating from a MAC address that does not match the IP's legitimate MAC
Why this is correct
Gratuitous ARP replies mapping one IP to an attacker-controlled MAC create frames whose source MAC contradicts the IP's legitimate binding, so hosts overwrite their ARP cache and route traffic to the attacker. This directly satisfies the stem's requirement for a network behaviour indicating ARP spoofing, since the forged MAC-to-IP pairing is the defining signature.
- ✗
An increase in broadcast ARP traffic
Why it's wrong here
A broadcast ARP increase is normal in large or busy segments and does not by itself indicate spoofing; the tell is unsolicited or gratuitous ARP replies binding one IP to a different MAC. It is tempting because spoofing tools do flood ARP traffic, so this is a supporting indicator rather than a reliable behaviour on its own.
- ✓
Multiple IP addresses mapping to the same MAC address
Why this is correct
An attacker poisons multiple victims so their traffic routes through one interface, causing several IP addresses to resolve to a single MAC. That many-to-one mapping satisfies the constraint of identifying ARP cache poisoning on the segment.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 968 original 200-201 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. 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.