(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What is the term for intentionally sending a network packet that exceeds the size that can be handled by the receiving system?

1. Overflow Attack

2. Oversized Packet Attack

3. Packet Sniffing

4. Fragmentation Attack

The correct answer is: Oversized Packet Attack

The term referring to the intentional sending of a network packet that exceeds the size that can be managed by the receiving system is indeed known as an Oversized Packet Attack. This type of attack exploits vulnerabilities in the way network packets are processed by systems. When a packet larger than the maximum transmission unit (MTU) is sent, it can lead to various issues, including buffer overflows. Buffer overflows occur when the excess data overwrites adjacent memory, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code or crash the receiving system. The Oversized Packet Attack specifically targets this limitation in the network protocol stack. Other concepts mentioned, such as Packet Sniffing, relate to monitoring and capturing packets over a network but do not involve the deliberate overloading of packet size. Fragmentation Attacks manipulate packet fragmentation, which is a different form of exploitation focused on breaking packets into smaller pieces, but not specifically on sending oversized packets. Similarly, an Overflow Attack can refer to a broader category of attacks that may involve exploiting memory overflows in various contexts but does not specifically indicate the intention of surpassing a maximum packet size limit.