This CAS-004 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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 a SIEM alert that indicates a user's credentials were used to log in from two different countries within a span of 10 minutes. This is likely an indicator of what type of attack?
Brute-force attack
Why wrong: Brute-force involves many attempts; here only two successful logins.
Man-in-the-middle attack
Why wrong: MITM intercepts traffic, not simultaneous logins.
Credential theft and reuse
The attacker is using stolen credentials from a different location.
Pass-the-hash attack
Why wrong: Pass-the-hash uses NTLM hashes, but the scenario shows credential use from different IPs.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Credential theft and reuse
A login from two distant locations in a short time suggests credential theft and reuse, which is characteristic of a credential stuffing or account takeover attack. The attacker likely obtained the credentials and is using them from a different location.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Brute-force attack
Why it's wrong here
Brute-force involves many attempts; here only two successful logins.
Man-in-the-middle attack
Why it's wrong here
MITM intercepts traffic, not simultaneous logins.
Credential theft and reuse
Why this is correct
The attacker is using stolen credentials from a different location.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Pass-the-hash attack
Why it's wrong here
Pass-the-hash uses NTLM hashes, but the scenario shows credential use from different IPs.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Pass-the-hash uses NTLM hashes, but the scenario shows credential use from different IPs.
Scenario analysis trap
Pass-the-hash uses NTLM hashes, but the scenario shows credential use from different IPs.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CAS-004 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which CAS-004 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Security Operations — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Credential theft and reuse — A login from two distant locations in a short time suggests credential theft and reuse, which is characteristic of a credential stuffing or account takeover attack. The attacker likely obtained the credentials and is using them from a different location.
Identify which CAS-004 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CAS-004 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-004 exam.
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