100-160 Question 65
Single answerA cybersecurity analyst is troubleshooting a connectivity issue between two devices on the same local network. The devices are unable to communicate, and the analyst suspects a problem with the protocol responsible for resolving MAC addresses to IP addresses. Which protocol should the analyst investigate as the potential cause of the issue?
- A
TCP
- B
ARP
- C
DNS
- D
ICMP
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is fundamental for local network communication, as it resolves IP addresses to MAC addresses. If devices on the same local network cannot communicate, ARP should be investigated because it is responsible for ensuring that data packets are correctly directed to the appropriate device on the network.
- A. Incorrect.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is responsible for reliable communication through data segmentation and reassembly between devices, but it is not used for resolving MAC addresses to IP addresses.
- B. Correct.
ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is the correct protocol to investigate, as it is specifically used to map IP addresses to MAC addresses within a local network.
- C. Incorrect.
DNS (Domain Name System) translates domain names to IP addresses, but it is unrelated to resolving MAC addresses.
- D. Incorrect.
ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is used for diagnostic purposes, such as ping, but it does not deal with resolving MAC addresses.