A computer on your network is responding very slowly to network requests, and then it stops responding at all. You use a packet sniffer and create a filter that views packets being sent to that host. You see that the host is receiving thousands of ICMP packets a minute. What type of attack is causing the system to slow down?

A.
A spoofing attack

B.
A root kit installed on the system

C.
A denial-of-service attack

D.
A man-in-the-middle attack

Explanation:

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There is an excessive amount of ping commands hitting the server, most likely a smurf attack. When network traffic slows down the server, and the traffic is not normal traffic, it is most likely a denial of service attach. In this case, thousands of ICMP packets per minute is not normal.
Incorrect Answers:
A: A spoofing attack is when IP packets are changed to make the source of the packet look like it originated for a different user.
B: A root kit, usually used on Unix systems, provides a back door into the sytstem.
D: A man-in-the-middle attack involves someone intercepting packets between two hosts and relays the information. In this attack the hacker does not take over the conversation (hijack), but does pose as one of the legitimate parties.