The answer is that the brute-force attack did not succeed in gaining access. This is the most likely explanation because Event ID 4625 specifically logs failed logon attempts, while a successful authentication would generate Event ID 4624. When interpreting failed logon events from a known scanner, the complete absence of any corresponding 4624 events from that same source IP confirms that every attempt was rejected, meaning the attacker never guessed valid credentials. On the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam, this scenario tests your ability to correlate Windows Security Event Log entries with network context—a common trap is assuming that multiple 4625 events automatically indicate a breach, but the key is checking for the matching 4624 success event. A useful memory tip: think of 4625 as “fail to log in” and 4624 as “for you, access granted”—if you see only 4625 from a scanner, the door stayed locked.
200-201 Host-Based Analysis Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of host-based analysis. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A security analyst is reviewing host-based logs from a compromised system. The Windows Security Event Log shows multiple Event ID 4625 (failed logon) from a single source IP, but no successful logon. The network team confirms that IP is a known scanning host. What is the most likely explanation for the lack of successful logon events?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The brute-force attack did not succeed in gaining access
Event ID 4625 specifically records failed logon attempts. The absence of a corresponding Event ID 4624 (successful logon) from the same source IP indicates that none of the authentication attempts succeeded. Since the network team confirms the IP belongs to a known scanning host, the most likely explanation is that the brute-force attack failed to guess valid credentials.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
The brute-force attack did not succeed in gaining access
Why this is correct
Failed logons without success indicate the attacker did not compromise the account.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The logon type was interactive, which is not recorded by Event ID 4625
Why it's wrong here
Event ID 4625 records all failed logon attempts regardless of type.
✗
The attacker successfully logged in but the logs were deleted by the attacker
Why it's wrong here
While possible, the scenario indicates no successful logon, and logs are present for failures. Deletion would likely affect all logs.
✗
The attacker used a pass-the-hash technique that bypasses logon events
Why it's wrong here
Pass-the-hash still generates logon events, just with NTLM hash.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that a lack of successful logon events means the logs were tampered with or that certain attack types bypass logging, when in fact the absence of Event ID 4624 alongside multiple 4625 events is the definitive indicator of a failed brute-force attack.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
While possible, the scenario indicates no successful logon, and logs are present for failures. Deletion would likely affect all logs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Windows Security Event Logging is controlled by audit policies; Event ID 4625 is generated by the LSASS process whenever NTLM or Kerberos authentication fails. The Logon Type field (e.g., 2 for interactive, 3 for network, 10 for remote interactive) is embedded in the event data, so an analyst can filter by source IP and logon type to distinguish brute-force attempts from other failures. In real-world scenarios, a failed brute-force attack often shows a high volume of 4625 events with Logon Type 3 (network) from a single IP, while a successful attack would show a single 4624 event immediately after the last 4625.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Host-Based Analysis — This question tests Host-Based Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The brute-force attack did not succeed in gaining access — Event ID 4625 specifically records failed logon attempts. The absence of a corresponding Event ID 4624 (successful logon) from the same source IP indicates that none of the authentication attempts succeeded. Since the network team confirms the IP belongs to a known scanning host, the most likely explanation is that the brute-force attack failed to guess valid credentials.
What should I do if I get this 200-201 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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