mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped

A security analyst notices that a web server is receiving a large number of ICMP echo reply packets from many different external hosts. The server did not send any echo requests. Which type of attack is most likely occurring?

Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →

A security analyst notices that a web server is receiving a large number of ICMP echo reply packets from many different external hosts. The server did not send any echo requests. Which type of attack is most likely occurring?

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.

A

Best answer

Smurf attack

The Smurf attack uses IP broadcast and spoofing to cause multiple replies to be sent to the victim, creating a flood of ICMP traffic.

B

Distractor review

Ping flood

A ping flood typically involves the attacker sending a high volume of echo requests directly to the target, not receiving replies from many sources.

C

Distractor review

ICMP tunneling

ICMP tunneling is a method to encapsulate data within ICMP packets for covert communication, not a flood attack.

D

Distractor review

Fraggle attack

A Fraggle attack is similar to Smurf but uses UDP echo packets instead of ICMP.

Common exam trap

Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses

Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.

Technical deep dive

How to think about this question

Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
  • Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
  • Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
  • The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.

TExam Day Tips

  • Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
  • Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
  • Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.

Related practice questions

Related N10-009 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

More questions from this exam

Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.

Question 1

A network engineer needs to connect two switches located 400 meters apart. The cable run includes high electromagnetic interference from nearby machinery. The engineer decides to use fiber optic cabling. Which transceiver type and fiber combination should be used to ensure the link reaches 400 meters while remaining cost-effective?

Question 2

A network engineer is designing a new switched network and needs to ensure that broadcast traffic from one department does not reach another department's workstations. The engineer plans to use VLANs. Which of the following must be configured on the switches to isolate broadcast domains as intended?

Question 3

A security engineer is configuring a site-to-site VPN between two branch offices. The requirement is to encrypt all traffic between the two networks using IPsec. Which IPsec mode should be used to encrypt the entire IP packet including the original header?

Question 4

A network administrator is connecting two switches to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy. Which technology should be used to combine multiple physical links into a single logical link?

Question 5

A network administrator is experiencing issues where unauthorized devices are offering IP addresses to clients, causing connectivity problems. Which security feature should be enabled on switches to prevent this?

Question 6

A network administrator is troubleshooting a connectivity issue and suspects the problem is related to the physical cabling. At which layer of the OSI model should the administrator begin their investigation?

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this N10-009 question test?

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Smurf attack — In a Smurf attack, the attacker sends ICMP echo request packets with a spoofed source IP address (the victim's IP) to a network's broadcast address. All hosts on that network respond with echo replies, flooding the victim. The observed symptoms match this amplification attack.

What should I do if I get this N10-009 question wrong?

Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.

Discussion

Loading comments…

Sign in to join the discussion.