GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

The correct answer is DHCP, which stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. DHCP is specifically designed to dynamically assign IP addresses to devices on a network. When a computer is set to use DHCP, it communicates with a DHCP server, which allocates an available IP address from a defined range of addresses. This simplifies the network management because devices can join the network without needing a static IP address configuration.

In contrast, the other options do not perform this function. ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is primarily used for error messages and operational information related to IP processing, but it is not involved in assigning IP addresses. RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is used for connecting to and managing remote desktop sessions, not for obtaining an IP address. DNS (Domain Name System) translates domain names to IP addresses but does not deal with the allocation of IP addresses to devices. Therefore, DHCP is the protocol that directly fulfills the requirement of obtaining an IP address automatically on a computer.