How should I use these Communication and Network Security practice questions?

Read each scenario carefully and choose your answer before revealing the explanation. Then check why your choice was right or wrong. Repeat until the reasoning feels automatic.

CISSP · topic practice

Communication and Network Security practice questions

Q: Can I practise just Communication and Network Security questions in a focused session?

Yes — use the session launcher on this page to start a 10-, 20-, 30- or 50-question session drawn entirely from the Communication and Network Security domain.

Practise Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP Communication and Network Security practice questions — original exam-style scenarios with answer choices, explanations, and analysis of common mistakes.

Courseiva uses original exam-style practice questions designed for learning and revision. The goal is to understand the concepts, recognise exam patterns, and improve through explanations — not memorise copied exam dumps.

Reviewed byJohnson Ajibi· MSc IT Security

20 questionsDomain: Communication and Network Security

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What the exam tests

What to know about Communication and Network Security

Communication and Network Security questions test whether you can apply the concept in context, not just recognise a definition.

How the topic appears in realistic exam-style scenarios.

Which detail in the question changes the correct answer.

How to eliminate plausible but wrong options.

How to connect the question back to the wider exam objective.

Watch out for

Common Communication and Network Security exam traps

▸Answering from memory before reading the full scenario.
▸Missing a constraint such as cost, availability, security, scope or command context.
▸Choosing a broad answer when the question asks for the most specific fix.
▸Ignoring why the wrong options are tempting.

Practice set

Communication and Network Security questions

20 questions · select your answer, then reveal the explanation

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Read the full Communication and Network Security explanation →

A security analyst observes a network attack where an attacker sends forged ARP messages to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP address of the default gateway. This attack occurs at which layer of the OSI model?

Trap 1: Layer 3 – Network

Network layer handles routing and IP addressing; ARP is not at Layer 3.

Trap 2: Layer 1 – Physical

Physical layer deals with raw bit transmission over physical media.

Trap 3: Layer 4 – Transport

Transport layer manages end-to-end connections and data flow.

Study all Communication and Network Security common traps →

A
Layer 3 – Network
Why wrong: Network layer handles routing and IP addressing; ARP is not at Layer 3.
B
Layer 1 – Physical
Why wrong: Physical layer deals with raw bit transmission over physical media.
C
Layer 4 – Transport
Why wrong: Transport layer manages end-to-end connections and data flow.
D
Layer 2 – Data Link
ARP operates at Layer 2, and ARP spoofing manipulates MAC-to-IP mappings.

Communication and Network Security practice questions

What to know about Communication and Network Security

Common Communication and Network Security exam traps

Communication and Network Security questions

A security analyst observes a network attack where an attacker sends forged ARP messages to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP address of the default gateway. This attack occurs at which layer of the OSI model?

An organization is deploying a VPN solution for remote employees. The security team requires a modern protocol with perfect forward secrecy, uses elliptic curve cryptography, and is known for its efficient, minimal codebase. Which VPN protocol should they choose?

A security engineer is configuring a firewall that makes decisions based on source/destination IP addresses and port numbers without tracking the state of connections. Which type of firewall is this?

During a security assessment, a penetration tester sends TCP SYN packets to various ports on a target server. Based on the responses, the tester determines which ports are open. This technique is commonly used at which OSI layer?

An organization wants to secure email communications by providing encryption and digital signatures. They require a solution that uses a web of trust model rather than a hierarchical PKI. Which protocol should they implement?

A network administrator is configuring SNMPv3 for monitoring network devices. The organization requires both authentication and encryption of SNMP traffic. Which combination of protocols should be used to meet this requirement?

Which wireless security protocol replaces the pre-shared key (PSK) authentication with Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) to provide stronger security and forward secrecy?

A security analyst discovers an attack where an attacker sets up a rogue wireless access point with a legitimate SSID to trick users into connecting. Once connected, the attacker captures credentials. This type of attack is known as:

An organization is implementing network segmentation. They need to place publicly accessible servers (e.g., web and email) in a separate network that is isolated from the internal LAN but still allows controlled access from the internet. Which architecture should they use?

A company deploys DNSSEC to protect its DNS infrastructure. Which cryptographic operation does DNSSEC primarily use to ensure the authenticity and integrity of DNS data?

Which of the following is a key feature of TLS 1.3 that enhances security compared to earlier versions?

A security architect is designing a zero-trust network. Which principle is fundamental to a zero-trust architecture (ZTA) such as BeyondCorp?

A network engineer is configuring an IPsec VPN in tunnel mode. Which IPsec protocol provides both authentication and encryption of the entire IP packet?

Which type of firewall is capable of inspecting application-layer data, performing SSL decryption, and integrating intrusion prevention capabilities?

A company uses SSH for remote administration. To enhance security, they want to implement public-key authentication. Which statement about SSH public-key authentication is true?

A security team is reviewing network segmentation strategies. Which TWO of the following are benefits of using VLANs? (Select TWO.)

An organization is deploying a wireless network with WPA3-Enterprise. Which THREE of the following are features or improvements of WPA3 compared to WPA2? (Select THREE.)

A security administrator is evaluating secure file transfer protocols. Which THREE of the following protocols provide encryption for data in transit? (Select THREE.)

After a recent security audit, a network administrator discovers that an attacker has been intercepting traffic by associating with a legitimate access point's MAC address and broadcasting a stronger signal. Which type of attack has occurred?

An organization is implementing network segmentation to enhance security. They create a DMZ to host public-facing servers and want to ensure that if a server is compromised, the attacker cannot pivot to the internal network. Which firewall placement best achieves this?

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Study resources

Exam traps to avoid