CPENT Iot And OT Exploitation Practice Question
An engineer is conducting a security audit on a smart grid device that uses CoAP over DTLS. The engineer attempts to intercept the handshake and notices pre-shared key (PSK) cipher suites are enabled. Which OpenSSL command can the engineer use to test connecting to the DTLS service using a specific Pre-Shared Key identifier and hex-encoded key?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
openssl s_client -dtls1 -psk 01020304 -psk_identity test_id -connect 192.168.1.50:5684
OpenSSL supports DTLS testing and allows specifying PSK identity and keys using parameters like '-psk' and '-psk_identity'.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
openssl s_client -dtls1 -psk 01020304 -psk_identity test_id -connect 192.168.1.50:5684
Why this is correct
The openssl s_client command supports '-dtls1', '-psk', and '-psk_identity' to authenticate against DTLS-PSK protected endpoints.
- ✗
ssh -p 5684 -o KexAlgorithms=psk 192.168.1.50
Why it's wrong here
SSH is used for secure shell remote logins, not for connecting to CoAP/DTLS services.
- ✗
nc -u 192.168.1.50 5684
Why it's wrong here
Netcat (nc) does not handle DTLS handshaking or Pre-Shared Key cryptography natively.
- ✗
telnet 192.168.1.50 5684
Why it's wrong here
Telnet operates in cleartext and cannot negotiate DTLS or handle PSK cipher suites.
About these practice questions
One of 274 original CPENT practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official EC-Council exam blueprint
This CPENT practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CPENT exam.