Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
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?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
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
Distractor review
Brute-force attack
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
Distractor review
Password spraying
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
Distractor review
Shoulder surfing
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 trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Credential stuffing — Credential stuffing uses lists of previously compromised username/password pairs from other breaches to attempt logins across multiple services. The pattern of many failed attempts followed by a success suggests that the attacker had valid credentials for one account but was testing them against other accounts, then used the working pair. MFA may have been bypassed if the attacker also captured a session token or used a separate method. Brute force attempts all possible passwords for a single username; password spraying uses the same few passwords across many usernames; shoulder surfing involves direct observation, which would not generate multiple remote login attempts.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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