4. A company notices an unusual number of failed login attempts coming from a single IP address. The security team confirms that the attacker is using automated scripts to guess employee passwords. Which type of attack is being attempted?
Answer: C
Brute-force attack
The attack being attempted is a brute-force attack, where an automated script is used to systematically guess passwords until the correct one is found.
A) Spoofing attack
A spoofing attack involves impersonating another device or user to gain unauthorized access or information. This does not align with the scenario of multiple login attempts aimed at guessing passwords; hence, it is not applicable.
B) SQL injection attack
An SQL injection attack targets databases by injecting malicious SQL queries to manipulate or retrieve sensitive data. This type of attack does not involve guessing passwords, making it irrelevant to the situation described.
C) Brute-force attack
A brute-force attack is characterized by the use of automated scripts to repeatedly attempt various password combinations until successful login is achieved. This accurately describes the situation, as the attacker is exploiting the system by guessing employee passwords.
D) Phishing attack
A phishing attack typically involves tricking users into providing sensitive information, such as passwords, through deceptive communication. This is not the method being employed in the scenario, which specifically involves automated password attempts rather than user deception.
Conclusion
The brute-force attack is definitively the correct answer as it directly involves the automated guessing of passwords from a single IP address. In contrast, all other options describe different types of cyber threats that do not apply to the scenario presented, thus reinforcing the nature of the attempted attack.