Quick Answer
The answer is hostapd-wpe, the most appropriate tool for capturing a PEAP authentication handshake for offline cracking. This tool is specifically designed to set up a rogue access point that impersonates a legitimate WPA2-Enterprise network, intercepting the full EAP/PEAP exchange and capturing the MSCHAPv2 challenge-response hash. Unlike generic packet sniffers, hostapd-wpe handles the complex PEAP tunnel negotiation, making it essential for extracting the handshake data needed for offline dictionary or brute-force attacks. On the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-002 exam, this question tests your understanding of enterprise wireless attack vectors, often appearing as a scenario where a tester needs to capture credentials without interacting with the real authentication server. A common trap is choosing a tool like airodump-ng, which only captures open or WPA2-PSK handshakes, not the encrypted PEAP exchange. Memory tip: think “PEAP equals hostapd-wpe” because the tool’s “WPE” stands for Wireless Pwnage Edition, directly targeting PEAP’s challenge-response.
This PT0-002 practice question tests your understanding of attacks and exploits. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
During a penetration test, a tester needs to perform a man-in-the-middle attack on a network that uses WPA2-Enterprise with PEAP. Which tool is most appropriate for capturing the authentication handshake to attempt offline cracking?
Wireshark
Why wrong: Wireshark captures traffic but does not perform active MITM to capture the handshake.
aircrack-ng
Why wrong: aircrack-ng is used for cracking WEP/WPA-PSK, not WPA2-Enterprise with PEAP.
Ettercap
Why wrong: Ettercap is for ARP poisoning and sniffing, not specifically for 802.1X/PEAP attacks.
hostapd-wpe
hostapd-wpe sets up a rogue access point that captures EAP credentials for offline cracking.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
hostapd-wpe
hostapd-wpe (Wireless Pwnage Edition) is specifically designed to set up a rogue access point that impersonates a legitimate WPA2-Enterprise network. It captures the MSCHAPv2 challenge-response from the PEAP authentication handshake, which can then be used for offline dictionary or brute-force attacks against the user's credentials. Unlike other tools, hostapd-wpe handles the full EAP/PEAP exchange required for this attack.
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.
Wireshark
Why it's wrong here
Wireshark captures traffic but does not perform active MITM to capture the handshake.
aircrack-ng
Why it's wrong here
aircrack-ng is used for cracking WEP/WPA-PSK, not WPA2-Enterprise with PEAP.
Ettercap
hostapd-wpe
Why this is correct
hostapd-wpe sets up a rogue access point that captures EAP credentials for offline cracking.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse aircrack-ng's ability to capture WPA2-PSK handshakes with the different requirements of WPA2-Enterprise, where the attack targets the MSCHAPv2 credentials rather than the 4-way handshake.
Detailed technical explanation
In WPA2-Enterprise with PEAP, the authentication handshake involves a TLS tunnel to protect the inner MSCHAPv2 exchange. hostapd-wpe acts as a fake RADIUS server, terminating the TLS tunnel and capturing the MSCHAPv2 challenge and response (hash) in plaintext. This hash can then be cracked with tools like asleap or John the Ripper, bypassing the need to break the TLS encryption itself.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
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FAQ
Attacks and Exploits — This question tests Attacks and Exploits — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: hostapd-wpe — hostapd-wpe (Wireless Pwnage Edition) is specifically designed to set up a rogue access point that impersonates a legitimate WPA2-Enterprise network. It captures the MSCHAPv2 challenge-response from the PEAP authentication handshake, which can then be used for offline dictionary or brute-force attacks against the user's credentials. Unlike other tools, hostapd-wpe handles the full EAP/PEAP exchange required for this attack.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This PT0-002 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 PT0-002 exam.
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