SSCP Network and Communications Security Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are characteristics of a Smurf attack? (Select TWO)
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
✓
Uses ICMP echo requests
Smurf attacks send ICMP echo requests to a broadcast address with a spoofed source IP, causing all hosts to reply to the victim, leading to amplification.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Requires fragmented packets
Why it's wrong here
Fragmentation is associated with ping of death, not Smurf.
- ✓
Uses ICMP echo requests
Why this is correct
Smurf attack uses ICMP echo request (ping) packets.
- ✗
Exploits TCP SYN handshake
Why it's wrong here
That describes SYN flood, not Smurf.
- ✗
Targets DNS resolvers
Why it's wrong here
DNS amplification targets DNS resolvers, not Smurf.
- ✓
Amplifies traffic by using broadcast addresses
Why this is correct
The attack sends packets to the broadcast address, causing all hosts to reply, amplifying traffic.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every SSCP question from scratch — 920 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SSCP
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which attack sends a flood of forged ICMP echo requests to a network's broadcast address to overwhelm a target?
easy- A.Ping of death
- ✓ B.Smurf attack
- C.SYN flood
- D.DNS amplification
Why B: A Smurf attack sends ICMP echo requests with the victim's spoofed source IP to the broadcast address, causing all hosts to reply to the victim, amplifying traffic.
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.