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 accounts with registered SPNs.. 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 evidence source phase, Which evidence source best supports or refutes the detection?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 (TGS-REQ) for many different Service Principal Names (SPNs) without subsequently accessing those services. This pattern is classic for Kerberoasting reconnaissance, where an attacker with valid domain credentials (e.g., a compromised user account) enumerates SPNs to request TGS tickets for accounts that have servicePrincipalName attributes set. The attacker then extracts the encrypted ticket data offline to crack the associated service account passwords. The lack of corresponding service access confirms the tickets were harvested, not used for legitimate authentication.
Key principle: Kerberoasting targets service accounts with registered SPNs.
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.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Kerberoasting targets service accounts with registered SPNs.
✗
ARP spoofing
Why it's wrong here
ARP spoofing is a Layer 2 attack and does not explain Kerberos ticket volume.
✗
DNS cache poisoning
Why it's wrong here
DNS poisoning changes name resolution and is not characterized by SPN ticket requests.
✗
Pass-the-hash using NTLM only
Why it's wrong here
This pattern concerns Kerberos service tickets, not NTLM hashes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse Kerberoasting with other credential-based attacks like pass-the-hash or golden ticket attacks, but the key differentiator is the high volume of TGS requests for multiple SPNs without actual service access, which is unique to Kerberoasting reconnaissance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Kerberoasting exploits the fact that TGS tickets are encrypted with the service account's NTLM hash. An attacker uses tools like Rubeus or Impacket's GetUserSPNs.py to query Active Directory for user accounts with SPNs (e.g., MSSQL, HTTP, CIFS) and then requests TGS tickets for those SPNs. The returned ticket includes an encrypted session key that can be cracked offline using hashcat or John the Ripper. A subtle behavior is that the Windows event log ID 4769 (A Kerberos service ticket was requested) will show multiple TGS requests from the same source IP to different SPNs, with the 'Ticket Options' field often set to 0x40810010 (forwardable, renewable, canonicalize) and no subsequent 4624 logon events for those services.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Kerberoasting targets service accounts with registered SPNs.
Attackers request Kerberos TGS tickets for SPNs.
Tickets are cracked offline to reveal service account passwords.
High volume of TGS-REQs for many SPNs without access is a key indicator.
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 accounts with registered SPNs.
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 accounts with registered SPNs. 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 accounts with registered SPNs., then practise related CS0-003 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Kerberoasting targets service accounts with registered SPNs..
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 (TGS-REQ) for many different Service Principal Names (SPNs) without subsequently accessing those services. This pattern is classic for Kerberoasting reconnaissance, where an attacker with valid domain credentials (e.g., a compromised user account) enumerates SPNs to request TGS tickets for accounts that have servicePrincipalName attributes set. The attacker then extracts the encrypted ticket data offline to crack the associated service account passwords. The lack of corresponding service access confirms the tickets were harvested, not used for legitimate authentication.
What should I do if I get this CS0-003 question wrong?
Review kerberoasting targets service accounts with registered SPNs., then practise related CS0-003 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Kerberoasting targets service accounts with registered SPNs.
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