The correct answer is a DDoS attack, specifically an HTTP GET flood from multiple IPs. This is the right choice because the attack involves thousands of distinct, geographically distributed sources sending well-formed HTTP GET requests for legitimate pages, which overwhelms the web server’s connection pool and processing capacity, causing it to become unresponsive. On the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish a distributed denial-of-service attack from a simple DoS or a network-layer flood like a SYN flood; the key trap is that the requests appear legitimate, but the sheer volume from many IPs reveals the distributed nature. A common memory tip is to think “many IPs, many GETs” — if the traffic is coming from a single source, it’s a DoS; if from thousands of unique IPs, it’s a DDoS.
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 engineer notices that the company's web server is receiving an overwhelming number of HTTP GET requests from thousands of different IP addresses around the world. The requests are for legitimate pages and are well-formed. The server is becoming unresponsive. Which type of attack is most likely occurring?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DDoS attack
The attack involves a high volume of legitimate HTTP GET requests from many distinct IP addresses, overwhelming the web server. This is a classic distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, where multiple compromised systems (a botnet) coordinate to flood the target with traffic, exhausting server resources and causing unresponsiveness. The key indicators are the distributed source IPs and the use of application-layer (HTTP) requests, which distinguishes it from network-layer floods.
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 spoofing
Why it's wrong here
ARP spoofing involves associating a malicious MAC address with a trusted IP to intercept traffic, not to overwhelm a server with requests.
✗
SYN flood
Why it's wrong here
A SYN flood sends incomplete TCP handshake requests, not full HTTP GET requests. The description indicates completed connections.
✓
DDoS attack
Why this is correct
A distributed denial-of-service attack uses many sources to send legitimate-looking requests to overload the server.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
DNS amplification
Why it's wrong here
DNS amplification uses small queries to generate large responses sent to a victim, typically using UDP, not HTTP requests.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse a SYN flood (a TCP-level attack) with a DDoS attack that uses complete HTTP requests, but the question explicitly states the requests are 'well-formed' and for 'legitimate pages,' ruling out incomplete handshake attacks.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a DDoS attack, the attacker typically controls a botnet of compromised devices (e.g., IoT cameras, home routers) that each send legitimate-looking HTTP requests. The server's connection pool, thread pool, or application logic becomes saturated, causing denial of service even though each individual request is valid. Mitigation often involves rate limiting, web application firewalls (WAFs), or CDN-based scrubbing centers that filter traffic based on behavioral analysis.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this N10-009 question in full detail.
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: DDoS attack — The attack involves a high volume of legitimate HTTP GET requests from many distinct IP addresses, overwhelming the web server. This is a classic distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, where multiple compromised systems (a botnet) coordinate to flood the target with traffic, exhausting server resources and causing unresponsiveness. The key indicators are the distributed source IPs and the use of application-layer (HTTP) requests, which distinguishes it from network-layer floods.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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