CCST Cisco IT Exam Prep Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

Question 1

What is a key security improvement that HTTPS provides over HTTP?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Data encryption. HTTPS encrypts the data transmitted between the client and server using SSL/TLS protocols, protecting it from eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks, while standard HTTP transmits data in plaintext.

Question 2

Which transport layer protocol does DNS primarily use?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

UDP. DNS primarily uses UDP for standard queries because it's faster and the overhead of establishing a TCP connection isn't necessary for simple lookups. TCP is used for larger responses or zone transfers.

Question 3

What is the default port number for standard FTP?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

21. FTP uses port 21 for command control and typically uses port 20 for data transfer in active mode. Port 21 is the primary port associated with FTP for establishing the initial connection.

Question 4

When a DHCP client first joins a network, what is the first message it sends?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

DHCP DISCOVER. DHCP DISCOVER is the first message sent by a client when joining a network. It's a broadcast message sent to locate available DHCP servers on the network before requesting an IP address.

Question 5

Which of the following is a key characteristic of connection-oriented protocols like TCP?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

They require acknowledgment of received packets. Connection-oriented protocols like TCP establish a connection before data transfer begins, maintain state during the transfer, and ensure all data is delivered reliably with acknowledgments for received packets.

Question 6

What protocol would typically be used by a web browser when a user enters 'http://example.com' in the address bar?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

HTTP on port 80. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the protocol used when a URL begins with 'http://' and operates on port 80 by default. It's the standard protocol for web browsing without encryption.

Question 7

Which protocol is used to report errors and test connectivity in IP networks?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

ICMP. ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is designed to report errors, provide network diagnostics, and test connectivity between devices on IP networks. Commands like ping and traceroute use ICMP.

Question 8

What happens during the TCP three-way handshake?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK packet exchange. The TCP three-way handshake establishes a connection through three steps: the client sends SYN, the server responds with SYN-ACK, and the client acknowledges with ACK. This process synchronizes sequence numbers and establishes connection parameters.

Question 9

What is a key advantage of UDP over TCP for certain applications?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Lower latency. UDP has lower latency than TCP because it doesn't establish connections, doesn't wait for acknowledgments, and doesn't retransmit lost packets. This makes it ideal for time-sensitive applications where some packet loss is acceptable.

Question 10

Which protocol would be used to access a secure website?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

HTTPS. HTTPS (HTTP Secure) is used for secure websites. It combines HTTP with SSL/TLS encryption to provide secure communication over a computer network, protecting the privacy and integrity of exchanged data.

CCST Cisco IT Exam Prep Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

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