hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
200-201 Practice Question: Which type of attack does this Snort rule detect?
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. alert tcp $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $HTTP_SERVERS $HTTP_PORTS (msg:'SQL Injection Attempt'; content:'UNION SELECT'; nocase; sid:12345;)
Which type of attack does this Snort rule detect?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the ability to distinguish attack types by their payload signatures, and the trap here is that candidates may confuse SQL injection with cross-site scripting because both involve injecting code into web applications, but the specific payload (SQL keywords vs. HTML/JavaScript) is the key differentiator.
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
✓
SQL injection
The Snort rule detects SQL injection by matching the pattern 'union select' in the HTTP request body. SQL injection attacks manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL statements, and the rule's content match for 'union select' is a classic indicator of a UNION-based SQL injection attempt.
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
XSS typically uses script tags or JavaScript, not SQL keywords.
- ✗
Buffer overflow
Why it's wrong here
Buffer overflow attacks exploit memory corruption, not SQL commands.
- ✓
SQL injection
Why this is correct
UNION SELECT is a SQL injection technique used to combine query results.
- ✗
Directory traversal
Why it's wrong here
Directory traversal uses ../ or similar path sequences.
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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.