SSCP Network and Communications Security Practice Question
During a penetration test, a security analyst captures a packet containing a gratuitous ARP reply that associates the attacker's MAC address with the default gateway's IP address. This is a classic indicator of which 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
✓
ARP spoofing
ARP spoofing (or ARP poisoning) sends gratuitous ARP replies to redirect traffic, enabling man-in-the-middle attacks.
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 this is correct
Gratuitous ARP is the key technique for ARP spoofing.
- ✗
DHCP spoofing
Why it's wrong here
DHCP spoofing uses rogue DHCP servers, not ARP.
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MAC cloning
Why it's wrong here
MAC cloning involves impersonating a MAC address but not necessarily via gratuitous ARP.
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DNS poisoning
Why it's wrong here
DNS poisoning targets DNS resolver caches, not ARP tables.
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.