CEH Practice Question: Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks
A network administrator notices that the ARP cache on several workstations contains entries mapping the default gateway IP to an unknown MAC address. Users report intermittent connectivity issues. Which tool is MOST likely being used to perform this attack?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse packet capture tools (tcpdump, Wireshark) with attack tools, forgetting that ARP poisoning requires actively sending forged packets, not just passive monitoring.
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
✓
Ettercap
Ettercap is a comprehensive suite for man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks on LANs, including ARP cache poisoning. By sending forged ARP replies, it maps the default gateway IP to an attacker-controlled MAC address, causing traffic to be intercepted and resulting in intermittent connectivity. This directly matches the symptoms described.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Ettercap
Why this is correct
Ettercap is specifically designed for ARP poisoning and MITM attacks.
- ✗
Nmap
Why it's wrong here
Nmap is a scanner, not used for ARP poisoning.
- ✗
tcpdump
Why it's wrong here
tcpdump is a command-line packet analyzer.
- ✗
Wireshark
Why it's wrong here
Wireshark is a packet analyzer, not an attack tool.
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 |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CEH exam.