210-250 · Question #160
What best describes an amplification attack?
The correct answer is B. A small forged packet elicits a large reply from the reflectors. An amplification attack exploits reflector servers to convert small spoofed requests into much larger responses directed at a victim.
Question
What best describes an amplification attack?
Options
- AA low volume of bad music is played progressively louder to the point that it becomes unbearable
- BA small forged packet elicits a large reply from the reflectors.
- CA small radio signal is initially weak and eventually increases the signal strength so that wireless
- DThere is no such attack that is called an amplification attack.
How the community answered
(42 responses)- A2% (1)
- B95% (40)
- D2% (1)
Why each option
An amplification attack exploits reflector servers to convert small spoofed requests into much larger responses directed at a victim.
This describes an audio metaphor and has no relevance to any network-based attack technique.
In an amplification attack, the attacker sends small packets with the victim's spoofed source IP to legitimate reflector servers such as DNS or NTP servers; those servers respond with replies significantly larger than the original request, flooding the victim with amplified traffic the attacker did not have to generate directly.
This describes radio signal boosting, which is unrelated to network attack methodology.
Amplification attacks are a well-documented and frequently observed DDoS technique, making this claim factually incorrect.
Concept tested: DNS/NTP amplification DDoS attack mechanics
Source: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2014/01/17/udp-based-amplification-attacks
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