ISC2 CC Network Security Practice Question
A security analyst detects a large number of incomplete TCP connection requests (SYN segments) directed at a server. This is indicative of which type of attack?
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
✓
SYN flood
SYN flood is a DoS attack that exhausts server resources by initiating many half-open connections.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ICMP flood
Why it's wrong here
ICMP flood uses echo requests.
- ✗
UDP flood
Why it's wrong here
UDP flood uses UDP packets, not TCP SYN segments.
- ✗
Smurf attack
Why it's wrong here
Smurf attack uses ICMP echo requests with spoofed source IP.
- ✓
SYN flood
Why this is correct
SYN flood exploits TCP three-way handshake by sending many SYN packets without completing.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Security Principles
Key term
Denial-of-service
A Denial-of-service (DoS) attack is an attempt to make a computer, network, or online service unavailable to its intended users by overwhelming it with fake traffic or requests.
Key term
DoS
A cyberattack that floods a target with traffic or requests to exhaust its resources, making it unavailable to legitimate users.
About these practice questions
This CC question is part of Courseiva's 976-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.