What does traceroute reveal about network paths?
- A.Traceroute shows every router (hop) between your computer and the destination, along with the time taken at each hop - this reveals the network path, identifies where delays or packet loss occur, and can expose network infrastructure and ISP relationships
- B.Traceroute only works on local networks; the internet protocol guarantees ordered delivery of every packet and retransmits anything that is lost, which leaves the transport layer with no responsibility beyond adding a port number to each segment before it is placed onto the wire
- C.Traceroute scans for vulnerabilities
- D.Traceroute only shows the destination
Why A is correct
Traceroute: sends packets with incrementing TTL (1, 2, 3...), each router decrements TTL and replies with ICMP Time Exceeded when TTL=0. Shows: each hop IP, round-trip time, and path to destination. Security use: map network topology, identify filtering points, and detect routing anomalies.
Know someone studying for Security Fundamentals? Send them this one.