- A
Port scan
Why wrong: Port scans target multiple ports, not authentication attempts.
- B
DDoS attack
Why wrong: DDoS involves high traffic volume, not specifically login attempts.
- C
Privilege escalation
Why wrong: Privilege escalation occurs after successful login, not failed attempts.
- D
Brute-force attack
Multiple failed logins from the same IP is indicative of a brute-force attempt.
Question 285 of 1,000
200-201 Security Monitoring Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security monitoring. 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 SIEM correlation rule triggers when it detects more than 10 failed login attempts from the same source IP within 1 minute. Which type of attack is this rule designed to detect?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Brute-force attack
A brute-force attack involves repeated login attempts using many password guesses against a single account or a set of accounts. The SIEM rule correlates more than 10 failed login attempts from the same source IP within 1 minute, which is a classic signature of an automated password-guessing tool. This threshold-based detection is specifically designed to identify brute-force activity, not other attack types.
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.
- ✗
Port scan
Why it's wrong here
Port scans target multiple ports, not authentication attempts.
- ✗
DDoS attack
Why it's wrong here
DDoS involves high traffic volume, not specifically login attempts.
- ✗
Privilege escalation
Why it's wrong here
Privilege escalation occurs after successful login, not failed attempts.
- ✓
Brute-force attack
Why this is correct
Multiple failed logins from the same IP is indicative of a brute-force attempt.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between a brute-force attack (repeated login attempts) and a DDoS attack (traffic volume), so candidates may confuse the two because both involve high rates of activity from a single source.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a brute-force attack often uses tools like Hydra or Medusa that generate thousands of authentication requests per minute, each triggering a failed login event in the authentication server's logs (e.g., Windows Event ID 4625 or Linux /var/log/auth.log). The SIEM correlation rule uses a sliding time window (1 minute) and a count threshold (10) to distinguish automated attacks from occasional user typos, which typically occur at lower frequencies. In real-world scenarios, attackers may distribute attempts across multiple source IPs to evade this threshold, requiring more advanced correlation across IPs.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-201 question test?
Security Monitoring — This question tests Security Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Brute-force attack — A brute-force attack involves repeated login attempts using many password guesses against a single account or a set of accounts. The SIEM rule correlates more than 10 failed login attempts from the same source IP within 1 minute, which is a classic signature of an automated password-guessing tool. This threshold-based detection is specifically designed to identify brute-force activity, not other attack types.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.
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