SSCP Network and Communications Security Practice Question
An attacker sends a large number of DHCP request messages with spoofed MAC addresses to a network's DHCP server, causing the server to exhaust its IP address pool and deny service to legitimate clients. This attack is known as:
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
✓
DHCP starvation
DHCP starvation floods the DHCP server with fake requests to deplete the IP address pool.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ARP spoofing
Why it's wrong here
ARP spoofing associates attacker's MAC with victim's IP.
- ✗
DNS poisoning
Why it's wrong here
DNS poisoning corrupts DNS cache, not DHCP.
- ✗
DHCP spoofing
Why it's wrong here
DHCP spoofing involves a rogue DHCP server, not exhaustion of IP pool.
- ✓
DHCP starvation
Why this is correct
DHCP starvation exhausts the IP pool by sending many fake DHCP requests.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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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.