easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: An analyst notices unusual outbound traffic from…
An analyst notices unusual outbound traffic from a workstation to an external IP on port 445. Which protocol is likely being used?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the association of well-known ports with their protocols, and the trap here is that candidates may confuse port 445 with NetBIOS (ports 137-139) or assume SMB only uses ports 137-139, forgetting that modern SMB over TCP/IP uses port 445 directly.
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
✓
SMB
Port 445 is the default port for Microsoft-DS (Direct Hosting of SMB over TCP/IP), which is used by the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol for file and printer sharing. Unusual outbound traffic on this port often indicates SMB activity, such as a workstation attempting to connect to a remote share or, in a security context, potential data exfiltration or lateral movement using SMB.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
HTTP
Why it's wrong here
HTTP typically uses port 80 or 8080.
- ✓
SMB
Why this is correct
SMB uses port 445 for direct TCP communication, often associated with file sharing.
- ✗
FTP
Why it's wrong here
FTP uses ports 20 and 21.
- ✗
DNS
Why it's wrong here
DNS uses port 53.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.