CompTIA Network+ N10-009 Passing Score

Port Address Translation (PAT) allows multiple internal devices to share a single public IP address by assigning each device a unique port number. This is the most common method used in environments where many systems need internet access but there are limited public IP addresses.

Definition of MAC Flooding:

MAC flooding is an attack where a malicious actor sends numerous fake MAC addresses to a switch, overwhelming its CAM table. The CAM table stores MAC addresses and their associated ports for efficient traffic forwarding.

Impact of MAC Flooding:

CAM Table Overflow: When the CAM table is full, the switch cannot learn new MAC addresses and is forced to broadcast traffic to all ports, leading to a degraded network performance and potential data interception.

Switch Behavior: The switch operates in a fail-open mode, treating the network as a hub, which can be exploited for eavesdropping on traffic.

Comparison with Other Attacks:

ARP Spoofing: Involves sending false ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) messages to associate the attacker's MAC address with the IP address of another device.

Evil Twin: Involves creating a rogue wireless access point that mimics a legitimate one to intercept data.

DNS Poisoning: Involves corrupting the DNS cache with false information to redirect traffic to malicious sites.

Preventive Measures:

Port Security: Configure port security on switches to limit the number of MAC addresses per port, preventing CAM table overflow.

Network Segmentation: Use VLANs to segment network traffic and limit the impact of such attacks.

References:

CompTIA Network+ study materials on network security threats and mitigation techniques.

An Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) allows multiple access points to share the same SSID, enabling seamless roaming for users. This means that users can move between different access points within the same ESSID without losing connection or having to reauthenticate. This provides a better user experience, especially in large environments such as office buildings or campuses.References: CompTIA Network+ study materials. ​

It is common for an access port to have both a voice VLAN and a data VLAN. A voice VLAN separates voice traffic from regular data traffic, ensuring better quality and security for voice communications.

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