CEH Practice Question: Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks
A penetration tester runs the following command: `macof -i eth0 -s 192.168.1.100 -d 10.0.0.1`. Which attack is being performed?
⚠ Common exam trap
In the CEH exam, candidates often confuse MAC flooding (which targets the switch's CAM table) with ARP poisoning (which targets host ARP caches). Both involve MAC addresses and can enable man-in-the-middle attacks, but the tool 'macof' specifically performs MAC flooding.
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
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MAC flooding
The `macof` tool is designed to flood a switch with packets containing random source MAC addresses, overwhelming the Content Addressable Memory (CAM) table. Once the CAM table is full, the switch enters a fail-open state and broadcasts all frames, allowing the attacker to sniff traffic that would normally be isolated to specific ports. This is a classic MAC flooding attack, not ARP poisoning or DHCP starvation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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DNS spoofing
Why it's wrong here
DNS spoofing, also known as DNS cache poisoning, involves an attacker intercepting or redirecting DNS queries to a malicious DNS server or injecting false DNS records into a legitimate DNS server's cache. This manipulates users into connecting to attacker-controlled websites instead of legitimate ones. The `macof` tool, however, operates at Layer 2 (Data Link Layer) by flooding a switch's MAC address table, which is fundamentally different from Layer 7 (Application Layer) DNS manipulation.
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ARP poisoning
Why it's wrong here
ARP poisoning, or ARP spoofing, is a technique where an attacker sends forged Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) messages over a local area network. This links the attacker's MAC address with the IP address of a legitimate network device, such as a default gateway, causing traffic intended for the legitimate device to be redirected through the attacker. Tools like `arpspoof` or `ettercap` are designed for this purpose, whereas `macof` generates random MAC addresses to overwhelm a switch.
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MAC flooding
Why this is correct
MAC flooding is an attack designed to overwhelm a network switch's MAC address table (CAM table) by sending a large number of frames with unique, spoofed source MAC addresses. When the CAM table becomes full, the switch often enters a "fail-open" mode, behaving like a hub by broadcasting all incoming traffic to all ports. The `macof` utility, part of the `dsniff` suite, automates this process by rapidly generating and sending thousands of frames with random source MAC and IP addresses, effectively causing the switch to flood traffic.
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DHCP starvation
Why it's wrong here
DHCP starvation is an attack where an attacker broadcasts a large number of DHCP requests using spoofed MAC addresses to exhaust the available IP addresses in a DHCP server's pool. This prevents legitimate clients from obtaining IP addresses, effectively denying them network access. While both `macof` and DHCP starvation involve spoofing MAC addresses, `macof`'s primary goal is to flood a switch's CAM table, not to deplete a DHCP server's address lease pool.
Visual reference
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.