CEH Network and Web Application Attacks Practice Question
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of network and web application 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A security analyst notices multiple ESTABLISHED connections on port 443 from different external IPs to the same process ID. What type of attack is most likely occurring?
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.
Multiple external IPs establishing connections to the same server process on port 443 indicates a volumetric DDoS attack, especially if the server is overwhelmed.
B
SSL/TLS renegotiation DoS
Why wrong: SSL renegotiation DoS involves repeated renegotiation of SSL sessions, but the exhibit shows established connections without indication of renegotiation.
C
Slowloris attack
Why wrong: Slowloris keeps many connections open but does not send complete requests; however, it typically targets port 80 and uses low bandwidth, not multiple IPs establishing connections on 443.
D
Man-in-the-middle attack
Why wrong: A MITM attack would intercept traffic between two parties, not cause multiple connections from different IPs to a single server.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack
Why this is correct
Multiple external IPs establishing connections to the same server process on port 443 indicates a volumetric DDoS attack, especially if the server is overwhelmed.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
SSL/TLS renegotiation DoS
Why it's wrong here
SSL renegotiation DoS involves repeated renegotiation of SSL sessions, but the exhibit shows established connections without indication of renegotiation.
✗
Slowloris attack
Why it's wrong here
Slowloris keeps many connections open but does not send complete requests; however, it typically targets port 80 and uses low bandwidth, not multiple IPs establishing connections on 443.
✗
Man-in-the-middle attack
Why it's wrong here
A MITM attack would intercept traffic between two parties, not cause multiple connections from different IPs to a single server.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
SSL renegotiation DoS involves repeated renegotiation of SSL sessions, but the exhibit shows established connections without indication of renegotiation.
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.
Network and Web Application Attacks — This question tests Network and Web Application Attacks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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