Question 1hardmulti select
Full question →hardmulti selectObjective-mapped
A packet capture from a branch office shows the default gateway IP mapped to a MAC address that does not belong to the router. The same suspicious MAC also answers for the DNS server IP, and gratuitous ARP replies appear every 30 seconds. Which two attacks best match this evidence? Select two.
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
ARP spoofing or poisoning is occurring on the local network.
The evidence fits ARP poisoning because an unauthorized MAC address is associating itself with trusted IP addresses such as the gateway and DNS server. Gratuitous ARP replies reinforce the cache manipulation and allow the attacker to redirect traffic at the layer 2 level. This is the classic setup for a local network spoofing attack.
B
Best answer
A man-in-the-middle interception is likely happening between clients and internal services.
If the attacker controls address resolution for the gateway and DNS server, client traffic can be forced through the malicious host. That positions the attacker to observe, relay, or modify traffic without immediate detection. The captured symptoms strongly indicate an active man-in-the-middle path rather than only a passive spoofing attempt.
C
Distractor review
The network is experiencing a SYN flood against the gateway.
A SYN flood would show large volumes of half-open TCP sessions and connection-state exhaustion, not ARP cache manipulation. The evidence here is focused on layer 2 address association and forged replies, which does not match a denial-of-service pattern targeting TCP handshake resources.
D
Distractor review
An external host is performing broad port scanning on public services.
Port scanning would appear as repeated connection attempts across many ports or hosts, usually from a source probing for open services. The symptoms here involve local broadcast behavior and cache poisoning, not enumeration of exposed TCP or UDP ports across the perimeter.
E
Distractor review
A password-spraying campaign is targeting remote logins.
Password spraying would produce authentication failures and occasional successful logins, typically in logs from identity providers or VPN systems. It would not explain forged ARP replies or a changed MAC association for the gateway and DNS server. This is a different attack family entirely.
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 laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
An employee reports a ransomware note on a file server. The server is still powered on, shares are still being accessed, and management wants service restored as quickly as possible. What should the incident response team do first?
Question 3
An employee reports a ransomware note on a finance laptop. The laptop is still powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and the user says they were just working in a spreadsheet. Management wants the fastest safe response that also preserves evidence. What should the responder do first?
Question 4
You are handed a company laptop suspected in an insider theft case. Legal says the evidence may be needed in court. Which action best preserves admissibility?
Question 5
A developer wants to reduce the risk of SQL injection in a new customer search form. Which two changes are the best mitigations? Select two.
Question 6
A branch office uses a flat LAN, and a compromise on one user workstation could spread quickly to finance systems. Management wants finance workstations isolated from general users, but finance staff still need access to a central finance application and network printer. What is the best design change?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: ARP spoofing or poisoning is occurring on the local network. — The evidence shows local address-resolution abuse. A spoofed MAC tied to the gateway and DNS server, along with repeated gratuitous ARP replies, points directly to ARP poisoning. Once the attacker can redirect traffic through itself, the environment is effectively in a man-in-the-middle state. The two correct answers describe the same attack at different levels of impact: spoofing is the mechanism, and MITM is the result. Why others are wrong: SYN flooding, port scanning, and password spraying are common attack types, but they do not explain forged ARP replies or a false MAC mapping for critical infrastructure. Those attacks produce different telemetry such as handshake exhaustion, probe patterns, or authentication failures. The local cache manipulation is the key clue that rules them out.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 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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