- A
Credential stuffing
Correct. Credential stuffing leverages lists of known username/password pairs from previous breaches. The analyst observed many failed attempts from one source IP, then a successful login, which matches an attacker testing stolen credentials. Even with MFA, the attack may succeed if the attacker has obtained session tokens or uses other techniques.
- B
Brute-force attack
Why wrong: Incorrect. A brute-force attack typically targets a single account with many password guesses. The logs show attempts across multiple usernames, not multiple passwords for one user.
- C
Password spraying
Why wrong: Incorrect. Password spraying uses a few common passwords against many accounts. The pattern here shows many failed attempts for the same username before a success, which is more indicative of credential testing rather than spraying a single password.
- D
Shoulder surfing
Why wrong: Incorrect. Shoulder surfing is an in-person observation technique that would not produce remote login logs from a single IP address. It also would not generate failed attempts.
Quick Answer
The answer is credential stuffing, as the log pattern of multiple failed login attempts using various usernames from a single IP address, followed by a successful login for one of those usernames, directly matches the automated, list-based testing of stolen credential pairs. This attack exploits the common practice of password reuse, where attackers take username and password combinations from previous data breaches and try them against a different service. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish credential stuffing from brute force attacks—a common trap is confusing the two, but remember that credential stuffing uses known valid credentials from breaches, while brute force guesses passwords systematically. The key differentiator here is the use of multiple distinct usernames with a single IP, indicating a pre-compiled list rather than a single account being hammered. Memory tip: think “stuffing” as in “stuffing a list of stolen logins into the login form.”
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 reviews authentication logs and notices multiple failed login attempts using various usernames from a single IP address over several hours. Eventually, a successful login occurs using a username that had many failed attempts. The organization requires multi-factor authentication (MFA). Which type of attack is most likely indicated by this pattern?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
Credential stuffing
The pattern of multiple failed login attempts using various usernames from a single IP address, followed by a successful login for a username that had many failed attempts, is characteristic of a credential stuffing attack. In this attack, the adversary uses a list of previously compromised username/password pairs (often obtained from data breaches) and attempts them against the target system. The successful login indicates that the attacker found a valid credential pair, which bypasses the MFA requirement only if the attacker also has access to the second factor (e.g., via a phishing or session hijacking attack), but the log pattern itself points to credential stuffing.
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.
- ✓
Credential stuffing
Why this is correct
Correct. Credential stuffing leverages lists of known username/password pairs from previous breaches. The analyst observed many failed attempts from one source IP, then a successful login, which matches an attacker testing stolen credentials. Even with MFA, the attack may succeed if the attacker has obtained session tokens or uses other techniques.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Brute-force attack
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. A brute-force attack typically targets a single account with many password guesses. The logs show attempts across multiple usernames, not multiple passwords for one user.
- ✗
Password spraying
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Password spraying uses a few common passwords against many accounts. The pattern here shows many failed attempts for the same username before a success, which is more indicative of credential testing rather than spraying a single password.
- ✗
Shoulder surfing
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Shoulder surfing is an in-person observation technique that would not produce remote login logs from a single IP address. It also would not generate failed attempts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing credential stuffing with password spraying: candidates often pick password spraying because it also uses multiple usernames, but the key differentiator is that credential stuffing uses many attempts per username (as seen in the logs), while password spraying uses one common password per username with long delays between attempts.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect. A brute-force attack typically targets a single account with many password guesses. The logs show attempts across multiple usernames, not multiple passwords for one user.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Credential stuffing relies on automated tools that replay stolen credentials against APIs or login endpoints, often using HTTP POST requests with JSON or form-encoded data. The attack is effective because users frequently reuse passwords across services; the success rate is typically 0.5–2% per breached credential list. MFA can mitigate this, but if the attacker also compromises the second factor (e.g., via SIM swapping or OTP phishing), the login succeeds.
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
An employee at a financial services firm receives an email that appears to come from the IT helpdesk, asking them to reset their password via a link. The link leads to a convincing fake portal that harvests credentials. Security teams use phishing simulations and security-awareness training to reduce this attack vector. Questions like this test whether you can identify social engineering techniques and appropriate controls.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — This question tests Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Credential stuffing — The pattern of multiple failed login attempts using various usernames from a single IP address, followed by a successful login for a username that had many failed attempts, is characteristic of a credential stuffing attack. In this attack, the adversary uses a list of previously compromised username/password pairs (often obtained from data breaches) and attempts them against the target system. The successful login indicates that the attacker found a valid credential pair, which bypasses the MFA requirement only if the attacker also has access to the second factor (e.g., via a phishing or session hijacking attack), but the log pattern itself points to credential stuffing.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SY0-701 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 SY0-701 exam.
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