Which of the following is an example of a passive attack?

The correct answer is B. Shoulder surfing. Shoulder surfing is a form of a passive attack involving stealing passwords, personal identification numbers or other confidential information by looking over someone's shoulder. All other forms of attack are active attacks, where a threat makes a modification to the system in an

Submitted by obi.ng· Apr 18, 2026Security Concepts and Practices

Question

Options

ADenying services to legitimate users
BShoulder surfing
CBrute-force password cracking
DSmurfing

How the community answered

(36 responses)

A
3% (1)
B
94% (34)
C
3% (1)

Explanation

Shoulder surfing is a form of a passive attack involving stealing passwords, personal identification numbers or other confidential information by looking over someone's shoulder. All other forms of attack are active attacks, where a threat makes a modification to the system in an attempt to take advantage of a vulnerability.

Topics

#Passive attack#Attack types#Shoulder surfing#Threats

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