An analyst is examining the logs for a web application's login form. They see thousands of failed logon attempts using various usernames and passwords. Internet research indicates that these…

Question

Options

• ACredential sniffing
• BPassword cracking
• CPassword spraying
• DCredential stuffing

• A
  4% (1)
• C
  8% (2)
• D
  88% (22)

Explanation

Credential stuffing (D) is correct because the attacker is using pre-compiled lists of real username/password pairs harvested from previous breaches - not guessing randomly, but replaying known credentials against a new target, betting that users reuse passwords across sites.

• A (Credential sniffing) is wrong - sniffing involves intercepting credentials in transit (e.g., capturing network traffic), not replaying a breach list.
• B (Password cracking) is wrong - cracking involves computationally deriving passwords from hashes (brute force, dictionary, rainbow tables), not using already-known plaintext credentials.
• C (Password spraying) is wrong - spraying uses one or a few common passwords tried against many accounts to avoid lockouts; the scenario shows varied passwords from breach data, not a small spray.

Memory tip: Think "stuffing" = stuffing a ballot box with pre-filled votes. The attacker already has real credentials and just stuffs them into the login form to see which ones still work.

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