SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. 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.
Exhibit
Host 192.0.2.45 arp -a
Internet Address Physical Address Type
192.0.2.1 00-50-56-a1-b2-c3 dynamic
192.0.2.1 00-50-56-a1-b2-c4 dynamic
Packet capture:
10:14:02 ARP Reply: 192.0.2.1 is-at 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
10:14:03 ARP Reply: 192.0.2.1 is-at 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
10:14:05 Gateway traffic is briefly forwarded to 192.0.2.200
Switch CAM table:
Gi1/0/7 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
Gi1/0/24 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
Based on the exhibit, which attack is most likely occurring on the local network?
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.
Exhibit
Host 192.0.2.45 arp -a
Internet Address Physical Address Type
192.0.2.1 00-50-56-a1-b2-c3 dynamic
192.0.2.1 00-50-56-a1-b2-c4 dynamic
Packet capture:
10:14:02 ARP Reply: 192.0.2.1 is-at 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
10:14:03 ARP Reply: 192.0.2.1 is-at 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
10:14:05 Gateway traffic is briefly forwarded to 192.0.2.200
Switch CAM table:
Gi1/0/7 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
Gi1/0/24 00:50:56:a1:b2:c4
A
DNS cache poisoning
Why wrong: DNS poisoning targets name resolution records, not Ethernet-layer ARP mappings on a local subnet.
B
ARP spoofing
The host receives repeated ARP replies claiming the gateway IP belongs to a different MAC address, and the same MAC appears on multiple switch ports. That combination indicates ARP spoofing or poisoning, which can redirect traffic through an attacker for interception or disruption. The brief forwarding to another IP is consistent with a man-in-the-middle attempt built on forged ARP replies.
C
Replay attack
Why wrong: Replay attacks reuse captured valid messages, typically in authentication or protocol exchanges, rather than altering ARP ownership mappings.
D
Amplification denial-of-service
Why wrong: Amplification uses small requests to trigger much larger responses, usually in distributed volumetric flooding attacks.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ARP spoofing
ARP spoofing is the most likely attack because the exhibit shows an attacker sending forged ARP replies to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP address of the default gateway. This poisons the ARP cache of the victim, causing all traffic destined for the gateway to be sent to the attacker instead, enabling man-in-the-middle interception.
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.
✗
DNS cache poisoning
Why it's wrong here
DNS poisoning targets name resolution records, not Ethernet-layer ARP mappings on a local subnet.
✓
ARP spoofing
Why this is correct
The host receives repeated ARP replies claiming the gateway IP belongs to a different MAC address, and the same MAC appears on multiple switch ports. That combination indicates ARP spoofing or poisoning, which can redirect traffic through an attacker for interception or disruption. The brief forwarding to another IP is consistent with a man-in-the-middle attempt built on forged ARP replies.
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.
✗
Replay attack
Why it's wrong here
Replay attacks reuse captured valid messages, typically in authentication or protocol exchanges, rather than altering ARP ownership mappings.
✗
Amplification denial-of-service
Why it's wrong here
Amplification uses small requests to trigger much larger responses, usually in distributed volumetric flooding attacks.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse ARP spoofing with DNS cache poisoning because both involve 'poisoning' a cache, but ARP operates at Layer 2 (MAC addresses) while DNS operates at Layer 7 (domain name resolution).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ARP spoofing exploits the stateless nature of ARP; hosts accept unsolicited ARP replies without verification. Tools like arpspoof or Ettercap send gratuitous ARP packets to update the target's ARP cache. In a real-world scenario, an attacker could use ARP spoofing to perform session hijacking, sniffing credentials, or launching a denial-of-service by dropping forwarded packets.
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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
Model
Acronym
Who Controls Access?
Best For
Discretionary Access Control
DAC
Resource owner
Small teams, file shares
Mandatory Access Control
MAC
System / security labels
Classified govt / military
Role-Based Access Control
RBAC
Administrator (via roles)
Enterprise environments
Attribute-Based Access Control
ABAC
Policy engine (user + resource attributes)
Fine-grained, dynamic policies
Rule-Based Access Control
RuBAC
System rules / ACLs
Firewall rules, network ACLs
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: ARP spoofing — ARP spoofing is the most likely attack because the exhibit shows an attacker sending forged ARP replies to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP address of the default gateway. This poisons the ARP cache of the victim, causing all traffic destined for the gateway to be sent to the attacker instead, enabling man-in-the-middle interception.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 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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