The answer is password spraying, as the SIEM pattern of one failed login per account followed by a single success from the same source IP is the classic signature of this attack. Unlike a brute force attack, which targets one account with many rapid password attempts, password spraying deliberately spreads a single common password across many accounts to evade account lockout thresholds and avoid triggering brute-force detection rules. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between credential-based attacks by analyzing log patterns; the common trap is confusing it with a dictionary or brute force attack, but the key differentiator is the ratio of failures to accounts. Remember the memory tip: “One per account, then a win—that’s spraying, not grinding.”
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 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. 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 SIEM correlates VPN authentication logs and sees 14 different user accounts receive one failed login attempt each from the same source IP during a 5-minute window. A few minutes later, one of those accounts successfully authenticates from that same IP. Which attack is most likely?
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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Password spraying using a common password against many accounts.
The SIEM observed 14 different user accounts each receiving a single failed login attempt from the same source IP within a 5-minute window, followed by one account successfully authenticating. This pattern is characteristic of password spraying, where an attacker tries a common password (e.g., 'Password123') against many accounts to avoid triggering account lockouts, then leverages a successful guess. The single failure per account avoids the threshold for brute-force detection, and the eventual success confirms a guessed credential.
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.
✗
Brute-force attack against a single account using many passwords.
Why it's wrong here
That pattern usually targets one account repeatedly rather than touching many accounts once each.
✓
Password spraying using a common password against many accounts.
Why this is correct
This pattern matches a low-and-slow attempt across multiple accounts to avoid lockouts, with one account eventually succeeding.
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.
✗
Replay attack using previously captured authentication traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Replay attacks reuse captured credentials or tokens, not a series of fresh failed login attempts across accounts.
✗
ARP poisoning used to intercept local network traffic.
Why it's wrong here
ARP poisoning affects local layer 2 traffic and does not explain the authentication log pattern shown here.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse password spraying with brute-force attacks, failing to recognize that the key differentiator is the number of accounts targeted versus the number of passwords attempted per account.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
ARP poisoning affects local layer 2 traffic and does not explain the authentication log pattern shown here.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Password spraying exploits the fact that many organizations use weak, common passwords (e.g., 'Spring2024!') across user accounts. Attackers often automate this with tools like Hydra or custom scripts, rotating through accounts slowly to stay under lockout policies (typically 3-5 failures before lockout). In real-world scenarios, this attack is frequently combined with OSINT to identify valid usernames (e.g., from LinkedIn or breached databases), and the SIEM correlation of 'one failure per account' is a key indicator for detection.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SY0-701 question in full detail.
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Password spraying using a common password against many accounts. — The SIEM observed 14 different user accounts each receiving a single failed login attempt from the same source IP within a 5-minute window, followed by one account successfully authenticating. This pattern is characteristic of password spraying, where an attacker tries a common password (e.g., 'Password123') against many accounts to avoid triggering account lockouts, then leverages a successful guess. The single failure per account avoids the threshold for brute-force detection, and the eventual success confirms a guessed credential.
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.
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