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What are the different Layer 2 network security attacks?

Author

Penelope Carter

Updated on February 26, 2026

What are the different Layer 2 network security attacks?

These attacks include: MAC address flooding. DHCP server spoofing. "Man-in-the-middle" attacks using gratuitous ARP.

Likewise, what are some common Layer 2 attacks?

7 Popular Layer 2 Attacks

  • Overview.
  • Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) Attacks.
  • Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) Attacks.
  • Media Access Control (MAC) Spoofing.
  • Content Addressable Memory (CAM) Table Overflows.
  • Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP)/Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) Reconnaissance.
  • Virtual LAN (VLAN) Hopping.

Likewise, what are the layer 2 devices? A layer 2 network device is a multiport device that uses hardware addresses, MAC address, to process and forward data at the data link layer (layer 2). A switch operating as a network bridge may interconnect devices in a home or office. The bridge learns the MAC address of each connected device.

In this regard, which three options are types of Layer 2 network attack?

(Choose three)

  • Spoofing attacks.
  • Vlan Hopping.
  • botnet attacks.
  • DDOS attacks.
  • ARP Attacks.
  • Brute force attacks.

What is network layer attacks?

The focus of these attacks is to destroy the performance of the wireless networks. These attacks can block completely the services of the wireless network. The attacks of the network layer are: IP spoofing, hijacking, smurf, wormhole, blackhole, sybil and sinkhole.

What is Layer 2 security?

Layer 2 switched environments, typically found in enterprise customer wiring closets, can be easy targets for network security attacks. Because the OSI model was built to allow different communications layers to work without knowledge of each other, Layer 2 security is critical.

What is STP attack?

An STP attack involves an attacker spoofing the root bridge in the topology. The attacker broadcasts out an STP configuration/topology change BPDU in an attempt to force an STP recalculation. The BPDU sent out announces that the attacker's system has a lower bridge priority.

What is VLAN hopping attack?

VLAN hopping is a computer security exploit, a method of attacking networked resources on a virtual LAN (VLAN). The basic concept behind all VLAN hopping attacks is for an attacking host on a VLAN to gain access to traffic on other VLANs that would normally not be accessible.

How can STP attacks be prevented?

There are two main protection mechanism against attack on STP process, Protecting with Root Guard and Layer 2 Protecting with BPDU Guard. Let's see how is that working… The Root Guard can be enabled on all switch ports that should not become root ports. So that means on every port that is not a root port.

What is CDP reconnaissance attack?

CDP discovers other Cisco devices that are directly connected, which makes possible to the devices to auto-configure their connection in some cases, simplifying configuration and connectivity. CDP messages are not encrypted.

Which command can you use to see the effect of dynamic ARP inspection on your switch?

Use the show ip arp inspection vlan [vlan# or range] command to display the DAI configuration and the operation state of the VLANs configured on the switch.

Is router a Layer 2 device?

A router works with IP addresses at layer 3 of the model. Layer 3 networks are built to run on on layer 2 networks. In an IP layer 3 network, the IP portion of the datagram has to be read. By contrast, layer 3 devices restrict broadcast traffic such as ARP and DHCP broadcasts to the local network.

Is a hub Layer 1 or 2?

Hubs are basically layer 1 devices without any intelligence and do not separate collision or broadcast domains. Switches are basically layer 2 (MAC addresses) with some intelligence and separate collision domains.

What is the difference between layer 1 and layer 2?

LAYER 1 - The physical layer in the wired world consist of connectors, cables, fiber, and gbics. This is also the layer where data gets transmitted / received into bits, 0's and 1's using complex coding and modulations. LAYER 2 - The data layer is where upper layer information (Layers 3-7) is encapsulated into a frame.

Is Layer 2 or Layer 3 better?

The main difference between Layer 2 and Layer 3 is the routing function. That means, a Layer 3 switch has both MAC address table and IP routing table, and handles intra-VLAN communication and packets routing between different VLANs as well. A switch that adds only static routing is known as a Layer 2+ or Layer 3 Lite.

How does a Layer 2 switch work?

A layer 2 switch is a type of network switch or device that works on the data link layer (OSI Layer 2) and utilizes MAC Address to determine the path through where the frames are to be forwarded. It uses hardware based switching techniques to connect and transmit data in a local area network (LAN).

What's the difference between a Layer 2 and Layer 3 network?

Generally speaking, Layer 2 is a broadcast Media Access Control (MAC) MAC level network, while Layer 3 is a segmented routing over internet protocol (IP) network.

What are the Layer 3 devices?

The layer 3 in the OSI model is the network layer. The device that comes under this layer is the router. The functions include address handling,logical address and names to physical address translation ,routing and traffic management.

What is a Layer 2 circuit?

A Layer 2 circuit is a point-to-point Layer 2 connection transported using Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) or other tunneling technology on the service provider's network. Each Layer 2 circuit is represented by the logical interface connecting the local PE router to the local customer edge (CE) router.

What layer is router?

Network-Control Layer

What is a Layer 7 attack?

An application layer DDoS attack (sometimes referred to as layer 7 DDoS attack) is a form of DDoS attack where attackers target application-layer processes. The attack over-exercises specific functions or features of a website with the intention to disable those functions or features.

What are the 7 network layers?

In the OSI reference model, the communications between a computing system are split into seven different abstraction layers: Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application.

What is a layer 4 attack?

Layer 3 and Layer 4 DDoS attacks are types of volumetric DDoS attacks on a network infrastructure. Layer 3 (network layer) and 4 (transport layer) DDoS attacks rely on extremely high volumes (floods) of data to slow down web server performance, consume bandwidth, and eventually degrade access for legitimate users.

What happens in network layer?

Network layer works for the transmission of data from one host to the other located in different networks. It also takes care of packet routing i.e. selection of the shortest path to transmit the packet, from the number of routes available. The sender & receiver's IP address are placed in the header by network layer.

What are application layer attacks?

Application layer DDoS attacks are designed to attack the application itself, focusing on specific vulnerabilities or issues, resulting in the application not being able to deliver content to the user.

What is network access layer?

The Network Access Layer is the lowest layer of the TCP/IP protocol hierarchy. The protocols in this layer provide the means for the system to deliver data to the other devices on a directly attached network. It defines how to use the network to transmit an IP datagram.

What OSI layer is IP?

Network Layer

What is the main function of the network layer?

The role of the Network Layer is to enable any two open systems anywhere to exchange data with one another, irrespective of the types of network the two systems are attached to and of the means of interconnecting those two networks.
In OSI model Network layer is responsible for 'source-to-destination' delivery of a packet possibly across the multiple networks( links ),whereas the data link layer oversees the delivery of the packets btw 'two' systems on same network.

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What are the different Layer 2 network security attacks?