- A
Brute-force attack
Why wrong: A brute-force attack typically targets a single username and attempts many different passwords against it. The observed pattern shows many usernames with a single password, which does not match this definition.
- B
Password spraying attack
Password spraying involves using a small number of common passwords against a large number of user accounts. This matches the log pattern: different usernames, same password, many attempts.
- C
Credential stuffing attack
Why wrong: Credential stuffing uses lists of known username-password pairs from previous breaches. The logs show a single password repeated across all attempts, not unique passwords paired with specific usernames.
- D
Dictionary attack
Why wrong: A dictionary attack typically tries many common passwords against a single user account. The log shows the opposite: one password being tried against many users.
SY0-701 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 is reviewing authentication logs from a corporate web application. The logs show thousands of failed login attempts over the past hour. Each attempt uses a different username, but all attempts use the same password 'Spring2024!'. The source IP addresses are widely distributed across several different geographic regions. Which type of attack is the analyst most likely observing?
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
Password spraying attack
The attack uses a single common password ('Spring2024!') against many different usernames, which is the hallmark of a password spraying attack. Unlike brute-force attacks that target one account with many passwords, password spraying avoids account lockout by trying one password across many accounts. The wide distribution of source IPs is consistent with a distributed password spraying campaign, often using botnets or proxies.
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
Why it's wrong here
A brute-force attack typically targets a single username and attempts many different passwords against it. The observed pattern shows many usernames with a single password, which does not match this definition.
When this WOULD be correct
A brute-force attack would be correct if the logs showed many failed attempts for a single username with different passwords, or if the question specified that the attacker is trying all possible passwords for one account.
- ✓
Password spraying attack
Why this is correct
Password spraying involves using a small number of common passwords against a large number of user accounts. This matches the log pattern: different usernames, same password, many attempts.
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.
- ✗
Credential stuffing attack
Why it's wrong here
Credential stuffing uses lists of known username-password pairs from previous breaches. The logs show a single password repeated across all attempts, not unique passwords paired with specific usernames.
When this WOULD be correct
An analyst sees thousands of failed login attempts with various username/password combinations that match credentials from a known data breach. The attempts originate from multiple IPs and target a web application. This would indicate credential stuffing.
- ✗
Dictionary attack
Why it's wrong here
A dictionary attack typically tries many common passwords against a single user account. The log shows the opposite: one password being tried against many users.
When this WOULD be correct
A dictionary attack would be correct if logs showed many failed attempts using a list of common passwords (e.g., 'password123', 'admin', '123456') against a single username, with the same source IP.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The SY0-701 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Password spraying attackCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Password spraying involves using a small number of common passwords against a large number of user accounts. This matches the log pattern: different usernames, same password, many attempts.
✗Brute-force attackWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A brute-force attack typically targets a single username with many password attempts, but here many usernames are tried with one password, which is the opposite pattern.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A brute-force attack would be correct if the logs showed many failed attempts for a single username with different passwords, or if the question specified that the attacker is trying all possible passwords for one account.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'many attempts' with brute-force, not realizing that the key distinction is the number of usernames versus passwords tried.
✗Credential stuffing attackWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Credential stuffing uses previously breached username/password pairs, not a single password with many usernames. The log shows the same password across different usernames, which is characteristic of password spraying, not credential stuffing.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An analyst sees thousands of failed login attempts with various username/password combinations that match credentials from a known data breach. The attempts originate from multiple IPs and target a web application. This would indicate credential stuffing.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse password spraying with credential stuffing because both involve many usernames, but they fail to note that credential stuffing uses unique passwords per username from breach data, not a single password.
✗Dictionary attackWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A dictionary attack typically uses a list of common passwords against a single username, but here the same password is tried against many usernames, which is the opposite pattern.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A dictionary attack would be correct if logs showed many failed attempts using a list of common passwords (e.g., 'password123', 'admin', '123456') against a single username, with the same source IP.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'dictionary attack' with any attack using a wordlist, not realizing that the defining characteristic is trying many passwords per username, not many usernames per password.
Analysis generated from the official SY0-701blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing password spraying with credential stuffing: candidates see 'different usernames' and assume stolen credentials are being used, but the single reused password across all attempts is the key differentiator for password spraying.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
A brute-force attack typically targets a single username and attempts many different passwords against it. The observed pattern shows many usernames with a single password, which does not match this definition.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Password spraying exploits the common practice of users setting weak, predictable passwords like seasonal patterns (e.g., 'Spring2024!'). Attackers often use automated tools that rotate through usernames slowly (e.g., one attempt per account every 30–60 minutes) to avoid triggering account lockout thresholds. In Active Directory environments, this attack can be detected by monitoring for Event ID 4625 with a specific failure code (0xC000006D) across multiple accounts from different source IPs.
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.
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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: Password spraying attack — The attack uses a single common password ('Spring2024!') against many different usernames, which is the hallmark of a password spraying attack. Unlike brute-force attacks that target one account with many passwords, password spraying avoids account lockout by trying one password across many accounts. The wide distribution of source IPs is consistent with a distributed password spraying campaign, often using botnets or proxies.
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
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