This CS0-003 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. A key principle to apply: kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts.. 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 alert shows one workstation requesting a high number of Kerberos service tickets for many SPNs, followed by no corresponding service access. Which attack should be suspected? In the root-cause analysis phase, Which finding would most directly explain the activity?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Kerberoasting reconnaissance or ticket harvesting
The alert describes a workstation requesting a high number of Kerberos service tickets for many SPNs without subsequent service access. This is characteristic of Kerberoasting reconnaissance, where an attacker with domain credentials (e.g., a compromised user account) requests TGS tickets for service accounts to extract their NTLM hashes offline for cracking. The lack of actual service access confirms the tickets are being harvested, not used for legitimate authentication.
Key principle: Kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Kerberoasting reconnaissance or ticket harvesting
Why this is correct
Unusual TGS-REQ volume across service principals can indicate Kerberoasting activity.
Related concept
Kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts.
✗
ARP spoofing
Why it's wrong here
ARP spoofing is a Layer 2 attack and does not explain Kerberos ticket volume.
✗
Pass-the-hash using NTLM only
Why it's wrong here
This pattern concerns Kerberos service tickets, not NTLM hashes.
✗
DNS cache poisoning
Why it's wrong here
DNS poisoning changes name resolution and is not characterized by SPN ticket requests.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between Kerberoasting (Kerberos-based hash harvesting) and pass-the-hash (NTLM hash reuse), leading candidates to confuse the two when the scenario involves Kerberos ticket requests without service access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Kerberoasting exploits the Kerberos TGS-REP exchange: an attacker requests a service ticket for an SPN registered to a user account, and the returned ticket includes a session key encrypted with the service account's NTLM hash. Tools like Impacket's GetUserSPNs.py or Rubeus automate this by querying Active Directory for SPNs and requesting TGS tickets, then cracking the encrypted portion offline. The absence of subsequent service access is a key indicator because legitimate users would immediately use the ticket to connect to the service.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts.
Attackers request Kerberos service tickets (TGS-REQs) for these SPNs.
The tickets contain an encrypted hash of the service account's password.
The goal is offline cracking of the password hash, not service access.
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
Kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CS0-003 question in full detail.
Review kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts., then practise related CS0-003 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Kerberoasting reconnaissance or ticket harvesting — The alert describes a workstation requesting a high number of Kerberos service tickets for many SPNs without subsequent service access. This is characteristic of Kerberoasting reconnaissance, where an attacker with domain credentials (e.g., a compromised user account) requests TGS tickets for service accounts to extract their NTLM hashes offline for cracking. The lack of actual service access confirms the tickets are being harvested, not used for legitimate authentication.
What should I do if I get this CS0-003 question wrong?
Review kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts., then practise related CS0-003 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Kerberoasting targets service principal names (SPNs) registered to user accounts.
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