Question 265 of 509

Attacks and Exploits →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The primary goal of a Kerberoasting attack is to obtain the plaintext password of a user account that has a Service Principal Name (SPN) registered in Active Directory. This works because the attacker, even with low-privileged credentials, can request a Kerberos service ticket (TGS) for the SPN, which is encrypted using the target service account’s NTLM hash. By capturing this ticket offline, the attacker cracks the hash to recover the plaintext password, enabling lateral movement or privilege escalation within the domain. On the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-002 exam, this question tests your understanding of post-exploitation techniques and the specific role of SPNs—a common trap is confusing Kerberoasting with AS-REP roasting, which targets accounts without pre-authentication. Remember the memory tip: “SPN = Service Password Needed,” meaning the attack always seeks the password behind the SPN.

PT0-002 Attacks and Exploits Practice Question

This PT0-002 practice question tests your understanding of attacks and exploits. 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 penetration tester with a low-privileged domain user account performs a Kerberoasting attack. What is the primary goal of this attack?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Full question →

A
Obtain the NTLM hash of the krbtgt account.
Why wrong: The krbtgt account hash is targeted by Golden Ticket attacks, not Kerberoasting. Kerberoasting does not involve the krbtgt account.
B
Obtain a list of all domain users.
Why wrong: Kerberoasting does not enumerate all users; it specifically requests tickets for accounts with SPNs. To get a list of users, other enumeration techniques like LDAP queries are used.
C
Obtain a Kerberos ticket that can be used to impersonate a domain admin.
Why wrong: Kerberoasting does not directly provide impersonation tickets. Impersonation attacks like Silver or Golden tickets require the service or krbtgt account hashes, which are not obtained via Kerberoasting.
D
Obtain the plaintext password of a user account with a Service Principal Name (SPN).
Kerberoasting requests TGS tickets for SPN-linked accounts. These tickets can be cracked offline to reveal the password, potentially granting higher privileges if the account has administrative rights.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Obtain the plaintext password of a user account with a Service Principal Name (SPN).

Kerberoasting targets service accounts that have a Service Principal Name (SPN) registered in Active Directory. The attacker requests a Kerberos service ticket (TGS) for the SPN, which is encrypted with the service account's NTLM hash. The attacker then cracks this hash offline to recover the plaintext password, enabling lateral movement or privilege escalation.

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.

✗
Obtain the NTLM hash of the krbtgt account.
Why it's wrong here
The krbtgt account hash is targeted by Golden Ticket attacks, not Kerberoasting. Kerberoasting does not involve the krbtgt account.
✗
Obtain a list of all domain users.
Why it's wrong here
Kerberoasting does not enumerate all users; it specifically requests tickets for accounts with SPNs. To get a list of users, other enumeration techniques like LDAP queries are used.
✗
Obtain a Kerberos ticket that can be used to impersonate a domain admin.
Why it's wrong here
Kerberoasting does not directly provide impersonation tickets. Impersonation attacks like Silver or Golden tickets require the service or krbtgt account hashes, which are not obtained via Kerberoasting.
✓
Obtain the plaintext password of a user account with a Service Principal Name (SPN).
Why this is correct
Kerberoasting requests TGS tickets for SPN-linked accounts. These tickets can be cracked offline to reveal the password, potentially granting higher privileges if the account has administrative rights.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA often tests the misconception that Kerberoasting directly yields a domain admin ticket or a TGT, when in fact it only provides a service ticket that must be cracked offline to recover the plaintext password of the service account.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, the attacker uses tools like Impacket's GetUserSPNs.py or Rubeus to request TGS tickets for all SPNs. The TGS is encrypted with RC4_HMAC (using the service account's NTLM hash) or AES; if RC4 is used, the hash can be cracked offline with tools like Hashcat. In real-world scenarios, service accounts often have weak or reused passwords, making Kerberoasting a high-value post-exploitation technique even from a low-privileged domain user.

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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.

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.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this PT0-002 question test?

Attacks and Exploits — This question tests Attacks and Exploits — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Obtain the plaintext password of a user account with a Service Principal Name (SPN). — Kerberoasting targets service accounts that have a Service Principal Name (SPN) registered in Active Directory. The attacker requests a Kerberos service ticket (TGS) for the SPN, which is encrypted with the service account's NTLM hash. The attacker then cracks this hash offline to recover the plaintext password, enabling lateral movement or privilege escalation.

What should I do if I get this PT0-002 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: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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