hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: Detects that an attacker is performing a MAC…
An organization detects that an attacker is performing a MAC flooding attack on a switch. What is the primary goal of this attack?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse the primary goal of MAC flooding (sniffing traffic) with a denial of service, but Cisco tests that the attacker's intent is to bypass port-level isolation to eavesdrop, not simply to crash the switch.
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
✓
To force the switch to act like a hub and allow packet sniffing
MAC flooding attacks exploit the limited size of a switch's Content Addressable Memory (CAM) table. By sending thousands of fake source MAC addresses, the attacker fills the CAM table, causing the switch to fail open and flood all incoming frames out all ports, effectively behaving like a hub. This allows the attacker to sniff traffic that would normally be isolated to specific switch ports.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
To change the MAC address of the switch
Why it's wrong here
The attack does not change switch MAC addresses.
- ✗
To cause a denial of service on the network
Why it's wrong here
While flooding may cause performance issues, the primary goal is traffic interception.
- ✓
To force the switch to act like a hub and allow packet sniffing
Why this is correct
Filling the CAM table causes the switch to flood frames out all ports.
- ✗
To bypass 802.1X authentication
Why it's wrong here
MAC flooding does not bypass authentication mechanisms.
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 |
Go deeper
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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