Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →easymultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A security auditor is reviewing firewall logs and notices repeated login attempts from a single external IP address to the company's SSH server. Which type of attack is 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
Brute force attack
A brute force attack systematically tries passwords or encryption keys. In this case, repeated SSH login attempts from one IP are classic signs of a password guessing attempt.
B
Distractor review
Man-in-the-middle attack
A man-in-the-middle attack intercepts and potentially alters communication between two parties. It does not typically manifest as repeated login attempts from a single IP on a firewall log.
C
Distractor review
ARP poisoning
ARP poisoning sends fake ARP replies to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP of a legitimate device, enabling traffic interception. It occurs on the local network and would not appear as repeated SSH attempts from an external IP.
D
Distractor review
DDoS attack
A Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack floods a target with traffic from many sources to overwhelm it. A single source attempting logins does not constitute a DDoS.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Brute force attack — Repeated login attempts from a single IP targeting a service like SSH is characteristic of a brute force attack, where the attacker tries many username/password combinations to gain access. A man-in-the-middle attack intercepts communications, ARP poisoning targets local networks, and DDoS involves overwhelming a service with traffic, not repeated login attempts.
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.
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