CEH Footprinting and Reconnaissance Practice Question
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of footprinting and reconnaissance. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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
Refer to the exhibit.
```
C:\Users\tester> nslookup -type=MX exampledomain.com
Server: dns.example.com
Address: 192.168.1.1
exampledomain.com
MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mail1.exampledomain.com
MX preference = 20, mail exchanger = mail2.exampledomain.com
```
An ethical hacker runs the command shown in the exhibit. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the output?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The domain has two mail exchange servers
The output shows two MX records for the domain, each with a preference value (10 and 20). MX records specify mail exchange servers, and the presence of two distinct entries indicates the domain has two mail exchange servers. The lower preference value (10) is the primary server, and the higher value (20) is a secondary or backup server.
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.
✓
The domain has two mail exchange servers
Why this is correct
Two MX records indicate two servers.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The DNS server is configured to block zone transfers
Why it's wrong here
Zone transfer not tested.
✗
Mail is automatically forwarded to a backup server
Why it's wrong here
MX records show preference, not forwarding.
✗
The domain has an SPF record configured
Why it's wrong here
SPF not queried.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume multiple MX records imply automatic forwarding or failover, but in reality, the secondary server only receives mail if the primary is unreachable, and forwarding is a separate server-side configuration.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
MX records show preference, not forwarding.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
MX records use a 16-bit preference value (0-65535) to prioritize mail servers; the lowest value is tried first, and if it fails, the next preference is attempted. In practice, the secondary MX server may queue mail until the primary is available, but it does not automatically forward mail unless configured to do so. The `dig` or `nslookup` command used likely queried for MX records specifically (e.g., `dig domain.com MX`), which only returns MX resource records, not other record types like TXT or SOA.
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 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.
Footprinting and Reconnaissance — This question tests Footprinting and Reconnaissance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The domain has two mail exchange servers — The output shows two MX records for the domain, each with a preference value (10 and 20). MX records specify mail exchange servers, and the presence of two distinct entries indicates the domain has two mail exchange servers. The lower preference value (10) is the primary server, and the higher value (20) is a secondary or backup server.
What should I do if I get this CEH question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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