CWNP CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Exam Practice Test

The statement that the Frame Control field contains subfields, and some 1-bit flags is true. The Frame Control field is a 2-byte field in the MAC header that contains information about the type, subtype, and characteristics of a frame. The Frame Control field is divided into several subfields, each with a specific function and length. Some of these subfields are 1-bit flags, which can be set to 0 or 1 to indicate a certain condition or status. For example, the To DS and From DS subfields are 1-bit flags that indicate whether a frame is destined for or originated from the DS (Distribution System). The other statements are not true, as they do not describe the Frame Control field correctly. All types of frames (management, control, and data) have a Frame Control field, not just control frames. The Frame Control field is not used to communicate the duration value, which is a separate field in the MAC header. The Frame Control field is not always set to 0, as it varies depending on the type, subtype, and characteristics of each frame. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 5: 802.11 MAC Sublayer, page 113-114

Every Beacon frame must contain a DTIM is not a true statement concerning DTIMs. DTIM stands for Delivery Traffic Indication Message, and it is a subfield within the TIM (Traffic Indication Map) element in a Beacon frame. The DTIM indicates how many Beacon frames (including the current one) will appear before the next DTIM. For example, if the DTIM interval is set to 3, it means that every third Beacon frame will contain a DTIM. Buffered broadcast and multicast traffic will be transmitted following a DTIM, so that STAs in power save mode can wake up and receive them. The DTIM interval can also dictate when an STA will wake up to listen to Beacon frames, as some STAs may choose to only listen to Beacon frames that contain a DTIM . References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 200; CWAP-404 CertifiedWireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 201.

The configured Minimum Basic Rate (MBR) of a BSS can be identified by looking at the Supported Rates and Extended Supported Rates elements in a Beacon frame. A Beacon frame is a type of management frame that is transmitted by an AP to advertise its presence and capabilities to potential clients. A Beacon frame contains various information elements (IEs) that provide details about the BSS configuration and operation. The Supported Rates andExtended Supported Rates IEs list the data rates that are supported by the AP for data transmission. The MBR is the lowest data rate among these supported rates that is required for all clients to join and communicate with the BSS. The MBR is usually marked with a flag bit in these IEs to indicate its mandatory status. The other options are not correct, as they do not exist or do not indicate the MBR of a BSS. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 5: 802.11 MAC Sublayer, page 123-124

When a data frame is encrypted with WPA2, the encryption is applied to the frame body including the LLCPDU. The LLCPDU (Logical Link Control Protocol Data Unit) is a part of the frame body that contains information such as protocol type, source and destination service access points (SAPs), and control fields. The LLCPDU is added by the LLC (Logical Link Control) sublayer to provide multiplexing and flow control functions for different upper layer protocols. When a data frame is encrypted with WPA2, which uses AES-CCMP as its encryption algorithm, both the payload and the LLCPDU are encrypted as a single unit. The MAC header and FCS are not encrypted, as they are needed for addressing and error detection purposes. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 5: 802.11 MAC Sublayer, page 115-116

Open Authentication without encryption is not allowed when operating a BSS in the 6 GHz band, according to the 802.11 standard. Open Authentication is a type of authentication method that does not require any credentials or security information from a STA (station) to join a BSS (Basic Service Set). Open Authentication can be used with or without encryption, depending on the configuration of the BSS and the STA. Encryption is a technique that scrambles the data frames using an algorithm and a key to prevent unauthorized access or eavesdropping. However, in the 6 GHz band, which is a newly available frequency band for WLANs, OpenAuthentication without encryption is prohibited by the 802.11 standard, as it poses security and interference risks for other users and services in the band. The 6 GHz band requires all WLANs to use WPA3-Personal or WPA3-Enterprise encryption methods, which are more secure and robust than previous encryption methods such as WPA2 or WEP. The other options are not correct, as they do not describe scenarios where Open Authentication without encryption is not allowed by the 802.11 standard. When operating a BSS in the CBRS band, which is another newly available frequency band for WLANs, Open Authentication without encryption is allowed, but not recommended, as it also poses security and interference risks for other users and services in the band. When operating a BSS in FIPS mode, which is a mode that complies with the Federal Information Processing Standards for cryptographic security, Open Authentication without encryption is allowed, but not compliant, as it does not meet the FIPS requirements for encryption algorithms and keys. When operating a BSS in a government facility, Open Authentication without encryption is allowed, but not advisable, as it may violate the government policies or regulations for wireless security. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 8: Security Analysis, page 220-221

The length of an AIFS (Arbitration Interframe Space) is calculated by multiplying the AIFSN (Arbitration Interframe Space Number) by the Slot Time and adding the SIFS (Short Interframe Space). An AIFS is a variable interframe space introduced by 802.11e to help prioritize medium access for different Access Categories (ACs). An AC is a logical queue that corresponds to a QoS (Quality of Service) level for different types of traffic. Each AC has a different AIFSN value, which determines how long it has to wait before attempting to access the medium. A lower AIFSN value means a higher priority and a shorter waiting time. The Slot Time is a fixed value that depends on the PHY type and channel width. The SIFS is the shortest interframe space that is used for high-priority transmissions, such as ACKs or CTSs. The formula for calculating the AIFS length is: AIFS = AIFSN * Slot Time + SIFS. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 7: QoS Analysis, page 194-195

A Reassociation Request frame is sent every time a STA roams from one AP to another within the same ESS. A Reassociation Request frame is similar to an Association Request frame, but it also contains the BSSID of the current AP that the STA is leaving. This allows the new AP to coordinate with the old AP and transfer the STA’s context information, such as security keys, QoS parameters, and buffered frames. This way, the STA can maintain its connectivity and session continuity during roaming . References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 195;CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 196.

The users on floor 5 are being subjected to a denial of service attack, as this is happening across the entire floor it is likely to be a misconfigured WIPS solution belonging to the tenants on the floor below. This is because the Deauthentication frames have a source address that matches the BSSIDs of the customer’s APs and a destination address that is a broadcast address (FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF). This indicates that someone is sending spoofed Deauthentication frames to all STAs associated with the customer’s APs, causing them to disconnect from the wireless network. This is a common type of DoS attack on wireless networks, and it could be caused by a rogue device or a WIPS solution that is configured to protect the wireless network of another tenant on the floor below12. References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 13: Troubleshooting Common Wi-Fi Issues, page 4961; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 14: Troubleshooting Tools, page 5272.

If the SSID element has a length of 0 in a Beacon frame decode, it means that the beacon is from a BSS configured to hide the SSID. The SSID element is a part of the Beacon frame that contains the name or identifier of the BSS. The SSID element has two fields: length and value. The length field indicates how many bytes are used for the value field, which contains the actual SSID string. If the length field is 0, it means that there is no value field or SSID string in the element. This is a common technique used by some APs to hide their SSID from passive scanning clients or potential attackers. However, this technique does not provide much security, as there are other ways to discover or reveal the hidden SSID, such as active scanning or capturing probe response or association frames. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 5: 802.11 MAC Sublayer, page 122-123

A PS-Poll (Power Save Poll) frame is not an 802.11 management frame. A PS-Poll frame is a type of control frame that is used by a STA in power save mode to request data frames from an AP. A STA in power save mode can conserve battery power by periodically sleeping and waking up. When a STA sleeps, it cannot receive any data frames from the AP, so it informs the AP of its power save status by setting a bit in its MAC header. The AP then buffers any data frames destined for the sleeping STA until it wakes up. When a STA wakes up, it sends a PS-Poll frame to the AP, indicating its association ID and requesting any buffered data frames. The AP thenresponds with one or more data frames, followed by an ACK or BA frame from the STA. The other options are not correct, as they are types of 802.11 management frames. An Action frame is used to perform various management actions, such as spectrum management, QoS management, radio measurement, etc. A Beacon frame is used to advertise the presence and capabilities of an AP or BSS. An Authentication frame is used to establish or terminate an authentication relationship between a STA and an AP. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 6: 802.11 Frame Exchanges, page 169-170

The function of the PHY layer is to convert PSDUs to PPDUs for transmissions and PPDUs to PSDUs for receptions. A PSDU (PHY Service Data Unit) is the data unit that is passed from the MAC layer to the PHY layer for transmission, or from the PHY layer to the MAC layer for reception. A PPDU (PHY Protocol Data Unit) is the data unit that is transmitted or received over the wireless medium by the PHY layer. A PPDU consists of a PSDU and a PHY header, which contains information such as modulation, coding, and data rate. The PHY layer adds or removes the PHY header to or from the PSDU during the conversion process. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 4: 802.11 Physical Layer, page 97-98

The STA is discovering a list of available BSSs by sending a Probe Request with an empty SSID element. This is also known as a broadcast Probe Request, as it does not specify any particular SSID to probe for. Any AP that receives this Probe Request will respond with a Probe Response containing its own SSID and other information about its BSS. This way, the STA can learn about all the BSSs in its vicinity and choose which one to associate with . References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 191; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 193.

A capture visualization tool is a software application that can open a packet capture file and display various graphs, charts, tables, and statistics that illustrate the characteristics and behavior of the wireless network. A capture visualization tool can help a network administrator with little knowledge of 802.11 protocols to evaluate the overall health and performance of their wireless network by providing a visual and intuitive representation of the captured data. A spectrum analyzer is a hardware device that measures the radio frequency signals in a given frequency range and displays their amplitude, frequency, and modulation. A spectrum analyzer can help identify sources of interference and noise in the wireless environment, but it cannot open a packet capture file. Python is a programming language that can be used to write scripts or applications that manipulate or analyze packet capture files, but it requires coding skills and knowledge of 802.11 protocols. A WLAN scanner is a software application that scans for available wireless networks and displays information such as SSID, BSSID, channel, signal strength, security type, and vendor. A WLAN scanner can help discover wireless networks and their basic parameters, but it cannot open a packet capture file345 References:

• CWAP-404 Study Guide, Chapter 2: Protocol Analysis, page 63
• CWAP-404 Objectives, Section 2.5: Use capture visualization tools
• CWAP-404 Study Guide, Chapter 4: Spectrum Analysis and Troubleshooting, page 117
• CWAP-404 Objectives, Section 4.1: Use spectrum analysis tools
• CWAP-404 Study Guide, Chapter 2: Protocol Analysis, page 33
• CWAP-404 Objectives, Section 2.2: Analyze field values

RTS is not a valid acknowledgement frame. RTS stands for Request To Send, and it is a control frame that is used to initiate an RTS/CTS exchange before sending a data frame. The purpose of an RTS/CTS exchange is to reserve the medium for a data transmission and avoid collisions with hidden nodes. An acknowledgement frame is a control frame that is used to confirm the successful reception of a data frame or a block of data frames. The valid acknowledgement frames are CTS (Clear To Send), Ack (Acknowledgement), and Block Ack (Block Acknowledgement) . References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 186; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 187; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 189; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 190.

The interframe space that would be expected between a CTS (Clear to Send) and a Data frame is SIFS (Short Interframe Space). A SIFS is the shortest interframe space that is used for high-priority transmissions, such as ACKs (Acknowledgements), CTSs, or data frames that are part of a fragmentation or aggregation process. A SIFS is a fixed value that depends on the PHY type and channel width. A CTS and a Data frame are part of a virtual carrier sense mechanism called RTS/CTS (Request to Send/Clear to Send), which is used to avoid collisions and hidden node problems in wireless transmissions. When a STA (station) wants to send a data frame, it first sends an RTS frame to the intended receiver, indicating the duration of the transmission. The receiver then responds with a CTS frame, also indicating the duration of the transmission. The other STAs in the vicinity hear either the RTS or the CTS frame and update their NAV (Network Allocation Vector) timers accordingly, deferring their access to the medium until the transmission is over. The sender then sends the data frame after waiting for a SIFS, followed by an ACK frame from the receiver after another SIFS. The other options are not correct, as they are not used between a CTS and a Data frame. A PIFS (PCF Interframe Space) is used for medium access by the PCF (Point Coordination Function), which is an optional and rarely implemented polling-based mechanism that provides contention-free service for time-sensitive traffic. An AIFS (Arbitration Interframe Space) is used for medium access by different ACs (Access Categories), which are logical queues that correspond to different QoS (Quality of Service) levels for different types of traffic. An AIFS is a variable interframe space that depends on the AIFSN (Arbitration Interframe Space Number) value of each AC. A DIFS (Distributed Interframe Space) is used for medium access by the DCF (Distributed Coordination Function), which is the default and mandatory contention-based mechanism that provides best-effort service for normal traffic. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 6: 802.11 Frame Exchanges, page 166-167; Chapter 7: QoS Analysis, page 194-195

The most likely issue that can be identified from the spectrum analysis is a power mismatch between the APs and the clients. A power mismatch occurs when the APs transmit at a higher power level than the clients, or vice versa. This can cause asymmetric communication, where one side can hear the other, but not vice versa. This can result in poor performance, disconnections, or packet loss. A spectrum analysis can reveal a power mismatch by showing different signal amplitudes or RSSI values for the APs and the clients on the same channel or frequency. The other options are not correct, as they cannot be identified from the spectrum analysis alone. The tablets’ SSID, power save mode, and noise floor can be determined by using other tools or methods, such as protocol analysis, site survey, or device configuration. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 3: Spectrum Analysis, page 79-80

The device finder is a common feature of a spectrum analyzer that helps locate a non-802.11 interference source. The device finder uses a directional antenna to measure the signal strength of a specific frequency or signal source. By pointing the antenna in different directions, the device finder can indicate the direction and distance of the interference source. The device finder can also filter out other signals that are not related to the interference source. The other options are not correct, as they do not help locate a non-802.11 interference source. Max hold and min hold are features that show the maximum and minimum RF power levels over time,respectively. Location filter is a feature that filters out signals that are not from a specific location or area. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 3: Spectrum Analysis, page 77-78

 In the 2.4 GHz band, probe requests are usually sent at the minimum basic rate from an unassociated STA. A probe request is a type of management frame that is transmitted by a STA to discover available BSSs in its vicinity. A probe request can be sent on one or more channels in either passive or active scanning mode. In passive scanning mode, a STA listens for beacon frames from APs on each channel. In active scanning mode, a STA sends probe requests on each channel and waits for probe responses from APs. A probe request is usually sent at the minimum basic rate, which is the lowest data rate among the supported rates that is required for all STAs to join and communicate with a BSS. The minimum basic rate can vary depending on the configuration of each BSS, but it is typically one of these values: 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5 Mbps, or 11 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. The other options are not correct, as they do not reflect how probe requests are usually sent in the 2.4 GHz band. MCS 0 is a modulation and coding scheme used by 802.11n/ac devices in either band, but it is not a data rate per se. 6 Mbps is a data rate used by OFDM devices in either band, but it is not usually configured as a minimum basic rate in the 2.4 GHz band. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 5: 802.11 MAC Sublayer, page 123-124