Quick Answer
The correct answer is HTTP flood, along with Slowloris, as both are classic examples of application-layer DDoS attacks. These attacks target Layer 7 of the OSI model, where they exhaust server resources by mimicking legitimate user requests—HTTP flood overwhelms a server with seemingly valid GET or POST requests, while Slowloris opens many connections and keeps them hanging by sending partial headers. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this distinction tests your ability to classify attacks by OSI layer; a common trap is confusing application-layer attacks with protocol or volumetric ones, such as SYN flood (Layer 4) or UDP flood (Layer 3). To remember, think of the “application” layer as the one closest to the user—attacks here look like normal traffic but are designed to tie up server threads or fill connection pools. A useful memory tip: “Slow and HTTP both speak HTTP,” meaning they operate at the application layer where HTTP lives, unlike SYN or Smurf which abuse lower-level protocols.
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.
Which TWO of the following are examples of application-layer DDoS attacks? (Choose two.)
UDP flood
Why wrong: UDP flood is a volumetric attack at the transport layer.
Slowloris
Slowloris is an application-layer attack that consumes server resources by keeping many connections open.
HTTP flood
HTTP flood sends many legitimate HTTP requests to overwhelm the application.
SYN flood
Why wrong: SYN flood is a protocol attack at the transport layer.
Smurf attack
Why wrong: Smurf is a protocol attack at the network layer.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Slowloris
Slowloris and HTTP flood are application-layer attacks. SYN flood is a protocol attack, UDP flood is volumetric, and Smurf is also a protocol attack.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
UDP flood
Why it's wrong here
UDP flood is a volumetric attack at the transport layer.
Slowloris
Why this is correct
Slowloris is an application-layer attack that consumes server resources by keeping many connections open.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
HTTP flood
Why this is correct
HTTP flood sends many legitimate HTTP requests to overwhelm the application.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
SYN flood
Why it's wrong here
SYN flood is a protocol attack at the transport layer.
Smurf attack
Why it's wrong here
Smurf is a protocol attack at the network layer.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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.
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FAQ
Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — This question tests Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Slowloris — Slowloris and HTTP flood are application-layer attacks. SYN flood is a protocol attack, UDP flood is volumetric, and Smurf is also a protocol attack.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO of the following are examples of application layer (Layer 7) DDoS attacks? (Select 2)
mediumWhy A: Slowloris keeps many connections open by sending partial HTTP requests, and HTTP flood sends a high volume of legitimate-looking HTTP requests. Both target the application layer.
Variation 2. Which TWO of the following are examples of application-layer DDoS attacks? (Select 2)
mediumWhy A: HTTP flood is an application-layer DDoS attack because it targets the HTTP protocol (Layer 7) by overwhelming a web server with seemingly legitimate GET or POST requests. Unlike network-layer attacks, HTTP flood exploits the server's processing of application-layer requests, often mimicking normal user behavior to bypass basic rate limiting. This forces the server to allocate resources for each request, eventually exhausting connection pools or CPU cycles.
Variation 3. Which TWO of the following are examples of application-layer DDoS attacks? (Select 2)
mediumWhy B: Slowloris holds connections open, and HTTP floods send many HTTP requests. SYN flood and ICMP flood are network-layer attacks.
Variation 4. Which TWO of the following are examples of application-layer DDoS attacks? (Select 2)
mediumWhy A: Slowloris and HTTP flood are application-layer attacks targeting web servers.
Variation 5. Which TWO of the following are examples of application layer DDoS attacks? (Select two.)
mediumWhy A: Slowloris and HTTP flood are application layer attacks that target web servers by exhausting connections or sending high volumes of HTTP requests.
Variation 6. Which THREE of the following are examples of application-layer DDoS attacks? (Select 3)
hardWhy A: Application-layer attacks target the OSI layer 7. Slowloris keeps many connections open, HTTP flood sends many requests, and DNS amplification (though often considered volumetric) can be application-layer when using DNS queries.
Variation 7. Which TWO of the following are examples of application-layer DDoS attacks?
mediumWhy B: Slowloris and HTTP flood are application-layer attacks targeting the web server's ability to handle requests. SYN flood and UDP flood are lower-layer attacks (transport and network).
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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