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GCIH · Question #18

You work as a Network Administrator for Tech Perfect Inc. The company has a TCP/IP-based network. An attacker uses software that keeps trying password combinations until the correct password is…

The correct answer is C. Brute Force. An attacker systematically tries every possible password combination until the correct credential is discovered, which is the definition of a brute force attack.

Reconnaissance, Scanning, and Enumeration

Question

You work as a Network Administrator for Tech Perfect Inc. The company has a TCP/IP-based network. An attacker uses software that keeps trying password combinations until the correct password is found. Which type of attack is this?

Options

  • ADenial-of-Service
  • BMan-in-the-middle
  • CBrute Force
  • DVulnerability

How the community answered

(38 responses)
  • A
    8% (3)
  • B
    3% (1)
  • C
    87% (33)
  • D
    3% (1)

Why each option

An attacker systematically tries every possible password combination until the correct credential is discovered, which is the definition of a brute force attack.

ADenial-of-Service

A Denial-of-Service attack floods a system with traffic or requests to make it unavailable, not to guess credentials.

BMan-in-the-middle

A man-in-the-middle attack intercepts and potentially alters communications between two parties without their knowledge.

CBrute ForceCorrect

A brute force attack works by exhaustively attempting all possible password combinations - or a large subset using dictionaries - until authentication succeeds. Unlike targeted exploits, it requires no prior knowledge of the password. The defining characteristic is the automated, repetitive trial-and-error process described in the question.

DVulnerability

Vulnerability is a weakness in a system, not a category of active attack technique.

Concept tested: Identifying brute force password attack type

Source: https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/Brute_force_attack

Topics

#brute force attack#password cracking#authentication attacks#credential stuffing

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