The answer is that the default gateway has no route to the internet. This is correct because successfully pinging the gateway (192.168.1.1) confirms that the workstation’s local subnet connectivity—spanning both Layer 2 (MAC addressing) and Layer 3 (IP routing within the LAN)—is fully functional. The failure to reach 8.8.8.8, however, reveals that the gateway itself cannot forward traffic beyond its own interface to an upstream router or ISP, meaning it lacks a default or specific route to external networks. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the routing table’s role in network segmentation and the difference between local and remote reachability. A common trap is assuming the problem lies with the workstation’s DNS or IP configuration, but since the gateway is reachable and the external IP fails, the bottleneck is clearly upstream. Memory tip: “Local ping, remote fail? Check the gateway’s route table.”
SSCP Network and Communications Security Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of network and communications security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A user reports they cannot access the internet. The network administrator verifies that the user's workstation has an IP address of 192.168.1.100/24 and a default gateway of 192.168.1.1. The administrator can ping the default gateway but cannot ping 8.8.8.8. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The default gateway has no route to the internet
The administrator can ping the default gateway (192.168.1.1) but cannot ping 8.8.8.8. This indicates that Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity within the local subnet is working, but traffic cannot reach the internet. The most likely cause is that the default gateway does not have a route to the internet, meaning it cannot forward packets beyond its local interface to an upstream router or ISP.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'can ping the gateway' with 'gateway has internet connectivity,' but the gateway may be reachable locally while lacking an upstream route or having a misconfigured NAT policy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When a host pings a destination outside its subnet, it sends the packet to the default gateway's MAC address via ARP. The gateway then performs a routing table lookup; if no default route (0.0.0.0/0) or specific route to the internet exists, the packet is dropped. This scenario is common in misconfigured edge routers or firewalls that lack a next-hop route to the ISP, even though the local LAN interface is up and responsive.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Network and Communications Security — This question tests Network and Communications Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The default gateway has no route to the internet — The administrator can ping the default gateway (192.168.1.1) but cannot ping 8.8.8.8. This indicates that Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity within the local subnet is working, but traffic cannot reach the internet. The most likely cause is that the default gateway does not have a route to the internet, meaning it cannot forward packets beyond its local interface to an upstream router or ISP.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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