CWAP-404 Practice Exam Questions with Answers Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Certification

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 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

The function of 802.11 management frames is to manage the BSS. A BSS (Basic Service Set) is a group of STAs (stations) that share a common SSID (Service Set Identifier) and communicate with each other through an AP (access point) or directly in an ad hoc mode. Management frames are one of the three types of 802.11 frames, along with control and data frames. Management frames are used to establish, maintain, and terminate associations between STAs and APs, as well as to advertise and discover BSSs, exchange security information, report errors, and perform other management functions. The other options are not correct, as they are not functions of 802.11 management frames. Prioritizing network administration traffic, communicating configuration changes between WLAN controller and APs, and managing the flow of data are functions of other types of frames or protocols. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 5: 802.11 MAC Sublayer, page 120-121

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 data rate at which the PHY preamble was transmitted is 6 Mbps. The PHY preamble is a part of the PPDU that is transmitted before the PHY header and the PSDU. The PHY preamble consists of a series of training fields that help the receiver to detect and synchronize with the signal. The PHY preamble is always transmitted at a fixed data rate that depends on the type of PPDU (e.g., OFDM, HT, VHT, HE). For an 802.1 lac data frame on channel 52, which uses VHT PPDUs, the data rate for the PHY preamble is 6 Mbps. This data rate does not depend on MCS (Modulation and Coding Scheme), which only affects the data rate for the PSDU. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 4: 802.11 Physical Layer, page 99-100

 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

The default 802.11 authentication method for a STA when using Pre-RSNA is Open System. This is the simplest and most common authentication method, which does not provide any security or encryption. In Open System authentication, the STA sends an Authentication Request frame to the AP, and the AP responds with an Authentication Response frame with a status code of success. After this, the STA can proceed to association with the AP . References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 181; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 183.

Before a retransmission, the CWmax (Contention Window maximum) value doubles and increases by 1. The CWmax is a parameter that determines the upper limit of the random backoff time that a STA (station) has to wait before attempting to access the medium. The random backoff time is chosen from a range of values between CWmin (Contention Window minimum) and CWmax. The CWmin and CWmax values depend on the AC (Access Category) of the traffic and the PHY type of the STA. If a transmission fails due to a collision or an error, the STA has to retransmit the frame after waiting for another random backoff time. However, to reduce the probability of another collision, the STA increases its CWmax value by doubling it and adding 1. This increases the range of possible backoff values and spreads out the STAs more evenly. The STA resets its CWmax value to its original value after a successful transmission or after reaching a predefined limit. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 7: QoS Analysis, page 196-197

Delta is the timing column in the packet view that measures the time difference between two consecutive packets in a capture file. Delta can be used to measure the roaming time from the last VoIP packet sent on the old AP’s channel to the first VoIP packet sent on the new AP’s channel by selecting these two packets and looking at their delta values. The other timing columns are not suitable for this measurement because they do not show the time difference between two specific packets. Roaming is a column that shows whether a packet belongs to a roaming event or not. Relative is a column that shows the time elapsed since the beginning of the capture file. Absolute is a column that shows the date and time when a packet was captured5 References:

• CWAP-404 Study Guide, Chapter 2: Protocol Analysis, page 57
• CWAP-404 Objectives, Section 2.4: Analyze timing values

The Group Key Handshake consists of two frames excluding any Ack frames that may be required. The Group Key Handshake is used to distribute and update the Group Temporal Key (GTK) for encrypting broadcast and multicast traffic. The AP initiates the Group Key Handshake by sending a Group Key Message 1 frame to a STA, which contains the new GTK and other information. The STA responds with a Group Key Message 2 frame to the AP, which confirms the receipt of the GTK and other information. After this, both the AP and the STA can use the new GTK for encryption and decryption of broadcast and multicast traffic . References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 7: 802.11 Security, page 246; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 7: 802.11 Security, page 247.

 The GTK (Group Temporal Key) is encrypted within the third message of the 4-Way Handshake. The 4-Way Handshake is a process that establishes a secure connection between a STA (station) and an AP (access point) using WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2), which is a security protocol that uses AES-CCMP (Advanced Encryption Standard-Counter Mode CBC-MAC Protocol) as its encryption algorithm. The 4-Way Handshake consists of four messages that are exchanged between the STA and the AP. The first message is sent by the AP to the STA, containing the ANonce (Authenticator Nonce), which is a random number generated by the AP. The second message is sent by the STA to the AP, containing the SNonce (Supplicant Nonce), which is a random number generated by the STA, and the MIC (Message Integrity Code), which is a value that verifies the integrity of the message. The third message is sent by the AP to the STA, containing the GTK, which is a key that is used to encrypt and decrypt multicast and broadcast data frames, and the MIC. The GTK is encrypted with the KEK (Key Encryption Key), which is derived from the PTK (Pairwise Temporal Key). The PTK is a key that is used to encrypt and decrypt unicast data frames, and it is derived from the PMK (Pairwise Master Key), the ANonce, and the SNonce. The fourth message is sent by the STA to the AP, containing only the MIC, to confirm the completion of the 4-Way Handshake. The other options are not correct, asthey are not encrypted within the third message of the 4-Way Handshake. The PMK is a key that is derived from a passphrase or obtained from an authentication server, and it is not transmitted in any message of the 4-Way Handshake. The PTK is a key that is derived from the PMK, the ANonce, and the SNonce, and it is not transmitted in any message of the 4-Way Handshake. The GMK (Group Master Key) is a key that is generated by the AP and used to derive the GTK, and it is not transmitted in any message of the 4-Way Handshake. References: [Wireless Analysis Professional Study Guide CWAP-404], Chapter 8: Security Analysis, page 211-213

In a protocol analyzer, you would find an indication that a frame was transmitted as part of an A-MPDU by looking at the Aggregation flag in the Radio Tap Header. The Radio Tap Header is a pseudo-header that is added by some wireless capture devices to provide additional information about the physical layer characteristics of a frame. The Aggregation flag is one of the fields in this header, and it indicates whether the frame belongs to an A-MPDU or not. If the flag is set to 1, it means that the frame is part of an A-MPDU; if it is set to 0, it means that the frame is not part of an A-MPDU . References: CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 9: PHY Layer Frame Formats andTechnologies, page 303; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 9: PHY Layer Frame Formats and Technologies, page 304.

802.11k Neighbor Requests and Neighbor Reports are sent in Action frames. An Action frame is a Management frame that is used to perform various operations or functions related to the operation or maintenance of a wireless network. An Action frame consists of a Category field that indicates the type of action being performed, and a variable-length Action Details field that contains specific information related to the action. For example, an Action frame with a Category field value of 5 indicates a Radio Measurement action, and the Action Details field may contain a Neighbor Request or a Neighbor Report subelement . References: CWAP-404 CertifiedWireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 207; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 6: MAC Sublayer Frame Exchanges, page 208; CWAP-404 Certified Wireless Analysis Professional Study and Reference Guide, Chapter 12: 802.11k/v/r/u/w/ai Amendments, page 434.