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NSE4 · Question #457

Which of the following statements best describe what a FortiGate does when packets match a black hole route?

The correct answer is A. Packets are dropped.. When packets match a black hole route on a FortiGate, they are immediately discarded without any further processing or notification to the sender.

Submitted by priya_blr· Apr 18, 2026VPN and Routing

Question

Which of the following statements best describe what a FortiGate does when packets match a black hole route?

Options

  • APackets are dropped.
  • BPackets are routed based on the information in the policy-based routing table.
  • CAn ICMP error message is sent back to the originator.
  • DPacket are routed back to the originator.

How the community answered

(29 responses)
  • A
    86% (25)
  • B
    7% (2)
  • C
    3% (1)
  • D
    3% (1)

Why each option

When packets match a black hole route on a FortiGate, they are immediately discarded without any further processing or notification to the sender.

APackets are dropped.Correct

When packets match a black hole route on a FortiGate, the device discards them immediately without attempting to forward them or sending any notification back to the source. This behavior is crucial for preventing traffic from reaching its destination and mitigating denial-of-service attacks or routing loops.

BPackets are routed based on the information in the policy-based routing table.

Policy-based routing applies specific rules to forward traffic based on criteria other than the destination IP, which is not the function of a black hole route.

CAn ICMP error message is sent back to the originator.

Sending an ICMP error message back to the originator would provide information about the dropped packet, which is not the intended stealthy behavior of a black hole route.

DPacket are routed back to the originator.

Routing packets back to the originator would create a loop or redirect traffic, which is contrary to the purpose of dropping packets with a black hole route.

Concept tested: FortiGate black hole route functionality

Source: https://docs.fortinet.com/document/fortigate/7.4.0/administration-guide/106334/static-routes

Topics

#Black hole routing#Packet dropping#FortiGate routing

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