CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice 2025 - Free CPSA Practice Questions and Study Guide

The correct answer is dynamic because Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is specifically designed to automatically assign IP addresses to devices on a network. Rather than requiring a manual process for each device, DHCP leases IP addresses from a defined range to client devices as they request them, allowing for the efficient management of IP address allocation. This dynamic assignment helps to prevent conflicts arising from duplicate IP addresses and simplifies the process of connecting devices to a network.

In contrast, static assignment involves manually assigning a fixed IP address to a device, which remains the same unless changed intentionally. The manual approach similarly requires user intervention to configure each device's IP address, which can be time-consuming and error-prone. Reserved addresses, while also part of DHCP functionality, refer to specific addresses set aside for particular devices based on their MAC address, still falling under the broader dynamic assignment scheme. Thus, the dynamic approach of DHCP captures the essence of automated, flexible IP address management suited for varying network environments.