- A
ARP poisoning
Why wrong: ARP poisoning is a technique often used to perform a man-in-the-middle attack, but it is not the attack itself. The question describes the overall effect (intercepting data), which is MITM.
- B
DNS poisoning
Why wrong: DNS poisoning corrupts DNS records to redirect users to malicious sites. It does not typically involve direct interception between two hosts after a connection is established.
- C
Man-in-the-middle
The scenario describes an attacker intercepting communications between two hosts by inserting themselves in the path. This is the classic definition of a man-in-the-middle attack.
- D
Replay attack
Why wrong: A replay attack involves capturing valid data transmissions and retransmitting them later to impersonate a user or cause a repeated action. It does not involve real-time interception.
N10-009 Network Security Practice Question
This N10-009 practice question tests your understanding of network security. 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.
A security administrator discovers that an attacker has intercepted data between two legitimate hosts by redirecting traffic through a rogue device. Which type of attack is this?
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
Man-in-the-middle
This is a classic man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack, where the attacker intercepts and potentially alters communication between two legitimate hosts by inserting a rogue device into the data path. The key characteristic is the redirection of traffic through the attacker's device, which allows them to capture, inspect, or modify packets in transit.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ARP poisoning
Why it's wrong here
ARP poisoning is a technique often used to perform a man-in-the-middle attack, but it is not the attack itself. The question describes the overall effect (intercepting data), which is MITM.
When this WOULD be correct
A question that asks: 'An attacker sends forged ARP messages to associate their MAC address with the IP address of a default gateway. Which type of attack is this?' would make ARP poisoning the correct answer.
- ✗
DNS poisoning
Why it's wrong here
DNS poisoning corrupts DNS records to redirect users to malicious sites. It does not typically involve direct interception between two hosts after a connection is established.
When this WOULD be correct
A question describing an attacker modifying DNS cache entries to redirect users to a fake login page for credential harvesting would make DNS poisoning the correct answer.
- ✓
Man-in-the-middle
Why this is correct
The scenario describes an attacker intercepting communications between two hosts by inserting themselves in the path. This is the classic definition of a man-in-the-middle attack.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Replay attack
Why it's wrong here
A replay attack involves capturing valid data transmissions and retransmitting them later to impersonate a user or cause a repeated action. It does not involve real-time interception.
When this WOULD be correct
An exam question might describe an attacker capturing a valid authentication packet and retransmitting it later to gain unauthorized access, without any mention of traffic redirection or a rogue device. In that scenario, replay attack would be the correct answer.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The N10-009 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Man-in-the-middleCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The scenario describes an attacker intercepting communications between two hosts by inserting themselves in the path. This is the classic definition of a man-in-the-middle attack.
✗ARP poisoningWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
ARP poisoning is a technique used to associate an attacker's MAC address with the IP address of a legitimate host, enabling traffic interception. However, the question describes redirecting traffic through a rogue device, which is the definition of a man-in-the-middle attack, not specifically ARP poisoning.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question that asks: 'An attacker sends forged ARP messages to associate their MAC address with the IP address of a default gateway. Which type of attack is this?' would make ARP poisoning the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse ARP poisoning with man-in-the-middle because ARP poisoning is a common method used to achieve a man-in-the-middle position, but the question describes the broader attack type, not the specific technique.
✗DNS poisoningWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
DNS poisoning involves corrupting DNS records to redirect traffic to malicious sites, not intercepting traffic between two hosts via a rogue device.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question describing an attacker modifying DNS cache entries to redirect users to a fake login page for credential harvesting would make DNS poisoning the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse DNS poisoning with ARP poisoning or think any redirection attack is DNS-related, overlooking the specific mechanism of traffic interception via a rogue device.
✗Replay attackWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A replay attack involves capturing and retransmitting valid data to produce an unauthorized effect, but it does not inherently involve redirecting traffic through a rogue device; the question describes traffic redirection, which is characteristic of a man-in-the-middle attack.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An exam question might describe an attacker capturing a valid authentication packet and retransmitting it later to gain unauthorized access, without any mention of traffic redirection or a rogue device. In that scenario, replay attack would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse replay attacks with man-in-the-middle because both involve intercepting data, but replay focuses on reusing captured data rather than actively redirecting and modifying traffic in real time.
Analysis generated from the official N10-009blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between the attack type (MITM) and the technique used to achieve it (ARP poisoning), leading candidates to choose the method rather than the broader category.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a MITM attack, the attacker often uses ARP spoofing to associate their MAC address with the IP of the default gateway, causing hosts to send traffic to the attacker instead of the router. Tools like Ettercap or Bettercap automate this by sending forged ARP replies, and the attacker can then forward packets using IP forwarding (e.g., /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward on Linux) to maintain connectivity while sniffing or modifying data.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the N10-009 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
Questions learners often ask
What does this N10-009 question test?
Network Security — This question tests Network Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Man-in-the-middle — This is a classic man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack, where the attacker intercepts and potentially alters communication between two legitimate hosts by inserting a rogue device into the data path. The key characteristic is the redirection of traffic through the attacker's device, which allows them to capture, inspect, or modify packets in transit.
What should I do if I get this N10-009 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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