Question 17

Denial of service prohibits the use of data by preventing access to it.

Denial of service (DoS) attacks are designed to make a service unavailable to its intended users, effectively preventing access to data. This type of threat disrupts normal functioning by overwhelming the target with traffic or requests, rendering it inaccessible.

A) Rainbow tables

Rainbow tables are a method used to crack hashed passwords by precomputing hash values. While they can compromise data security by revealing passwords, they do not prevent access to data; instead, they facilitate unauthorized access.

B) Brute force

Brute force attacks involve systematically trying all possible keys or passwords until the correct one is found. Although they can lead to unauthorized access, they do not inhibit access to data but rather attempt to gain it.

C) Encryption

Encryption is a security measure that protects data by converting it into a format that is unreadable without the correct decryption key. While it secures data from unauthorized access, it does not prevent access in itself; rather, it safeguards the data from being understood by unauthorized users.

D) Denial of service

Denial of service attacks specifically aim to disrupt the availability of a service, preventing legitimate users from accessing data. This aligns directly with the question, as it explicitly prohibits access to data.

Conclusion

Denial of service is the only option that directly prevents access to data, which is the crux of the question. In contrast, the other options either facilitate access or protect data without inhibiting availability, making them incorrect in this context.