Network Defense Essentials (NDE) Practice Exam

Which type of suspicious traffic signature suggests attempts to perform brute force attacks?

1. Denial of Service

2. Unauthorized access

3. Traffic flooding

4. Protocol analysis

The correct answer is: Unauthorized access

The choice indicating unauthorized access suggests attempts to perform brute force attacks because brute force attacks involve systematically trying numerous combinations of passwords or encryption keys until the correct one is found. This type of suspicious traffic signature is characterized by an increase in login attempts to a system, often at a high frequency, which can signal that an attacker is trying various username-password combinations to gain access. Unauthorized access attempts can manifest as repeated logins originating from the same IP address or spread across multiple accounts on a single system. This pattern is a red flag for network defenders, as it indicates that someone may be attempting to bypass security measures through brute force methods. Monitoring for such activity is an essential part of maintaining network security, allowing teams to identify and respond to potential breaches before they can compromise sensitive systems or data.