Quick Answer
The answer is MAC flooding, as this attack directly overflows the switch’s CAM table, forcing the device to fail open and flood unicast traffic out all ports, which allows an attacker to sniff network frames that would normally be isolated. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this question tests your understanding of Layer 2 attacks and switch behavior under stress; a common trap is confusing MAC flooding with MAC spoofing, where the latter impersonates a specific MAC address rather than exhausting the table. ARP poisoning manipulates IP-to-MAC mappings, and DHCP starvation exhausts IP leases, neither of which fills the CAM table. Remember the memory tip: “Flood the table, flood the ports”—if the CAM table is full, the switch acts like a hub, and that is the hallmark of a MAC flooding attack.
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 team observes that a switch's MAC address table is full, and the switch has started flooding unicast traffic to all ports. Which attack has MOST likely been performed?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
MAC flooding
MAC flooding uses many fake MAC addresses to overflow the CAM table, forcing the switch to flood traffic.
ARP poisoning
Why wrong: ARP poisoning sends fake ARP replies to associate a different MAC with a legitimate IP.
MAC spoofing
Why wrong: MAC spoofing changes the source MAC address to impersonate a device, not to fill the table.
DHCP starvation
Why wrong: DHCP starvation exhausts the DHCP pool, not the MAC table.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
MAC flooding
MAC flooding attacks fill the switch's CAM table, causing it to fail open and flood frames, enabling sniffing. MAC spoofing is about impersonating, ARP poisoning manipulates ARP caches, and DHCP starvation exhausts IP addresses.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
MAC flooding
Why this is correct
MAC flooding uses many fake MAC addresses to overflow the CAM table, forcing the switch to flood traffic.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
ARP poisoning
Why it's wrong here
ARP poisoning sends fake ARP replies to associate a different MAC with a legitimate IP.
MAC spoofing
Why it's wrong here
MAC spoofing changes the source MAC address to impersonate a device, not to fill the table.
DHCP starvation
Why it's wrong here
DHCP starvation exhausts the DHCP pool, not the MAC table.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CEH NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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FAQ
Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — This question tests Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: MAC flooding — MAC flooding attacks fill the switch's CAM table, causing it to fail open and flood frames, enabling sniffing. MAC spoofing is about impersonating, ARP poisoning manipulates ARP caches, and DHCP starvation exhausts IP addresses.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related CEH NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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