The answer is implementing rate limiting and connection timeout. This is the most effective mitigation for a Slowloris attack because Slowloris exploits the HTTP protocol by opening multiple connections and sending partial headers, keeping them alive indefinitely to exhaust server resources. Rate limiting restricts how many connections a single IP can open, while connection timeout forces idle connections to close after a set period, directly countering the attack’s core mechanism. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this question tests your understanding of application-layer DDoS defenses, often appearing in the network security domain with a common trap: confusing connection limits with timeout settings—remember, increasing max connections per IP can actually worsen the attack. A reverse proxy can also help by buffering and managing connections, but the direct fix is controlling time and rate. Memory tip: “Time and rate seal the gate—Slowloris can’t wait.”
CEH Practice Question: Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of malware, social engineering and network attacks. 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 is configuring DDoS protection for a web server. The goal is to mitigate a Slowloris attack. Which mitigation technique is MOST effective?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement rate limiting and connection timeout
Slowloris sends partial HTTP requests to keep connections open. Increasing the maximum number of connections per IP may help, but rate limiting and connection timeout are more effective. However, the most direct mitigation is to limit the time a connection can remain open while idle, i.e., increasing the request timeout or reducing the connection timeout. Among options, configuring a reverse proxy to limit concurrent connections is effective.
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.
✗
Use anycast routing
Why it's wrong here
Anycast distributes traffic across multiple servers, but it does not specifically address the partial HTTP requests.
✓
Implement rate limiting and connection timeout
Why this is correct
Slowloris relies on keeping connections open; setting a timeout for idle connections and rate limiting helps.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the maximum number of simultaneous connections
Why it's wrong here
This might allow more connections, making the attack harder to mitigate.
✗
Enable SYN cookies
Why it's wrong here
SYN cookies protect against SYN flood, not Slowloris.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 practitioner preparing for the CEH exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CEH question in full detail.
Identify which CEH exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — This question tests Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement rate limiting and connection timeout — Slowloris sends partial HTTP requests to keep connections open. Increasing the maximum number of connections per IP may help, but rate limiting and connection timeout are more effective. However, the most direct mitigation is to limit the time a connection can remain open while idle, i.e., increasing the request timeout or reducing the connection timeout. Among options, configuring a reverse proxy to limit concurrent connections is effective.
What should I do if I get this CEH question wrong?
Identify which CEH exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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