The answer is WEP key recovery using aircrack-ng. This is correct because WEP’s encryption relies on the RC4 stream cipher, which reuses weak initialization vectors (IVs) that leak information about the secret key; by capturing a large number of unique IVs, an attacker collects enough statistical data to perform a FMS or KoreK attack, allowing aircrack-ng to recover the WEP key through brute-force analysis of the IV patterns. On the Certified Ethical Hacker CEH exam, this scenario tests your understanding of wireless attack vectors and the specific prerequisites for each tool—many students mistakenly associate unique IVs with WPA handshake cracking, but WPA requires the full four-way handshake, not just IVs. A common trap is confusing “unique IVs” with “packet count”; remember that WEP’s weakness is its small 24-bit IV space, so collecting many unique IVs directly enables key recovery. Memory tip: “Unique IVs for WEP = aircrack-ng; handshake for WPA = aircrack-ng with a wordlist.”
CEH Practice Question: Advanced Topics: Wireless, Cloud, IoT, Cryptography
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of advanced topics: wireless, cloud, iot, cryptography. 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 security analyst captures a large number of unique initialization vectors (IVs) from a wireless network using airodump-ng. Which attack are they MOST likely preparing to execute?
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
✓
WEP key recovery using aircrack-ng
WEP encryption is vulnerable to statistical attacks that require capturing many unique IVs to recover the WEP key. The large number of unique IVs indicates preparation for a WEP cracking attack using a tool like aircrack-ng.
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.
✗
WPS PIN brute-force attack
Why it's wrong here
WPS attacks target the PIN authentication mechanism, not IVs.
✗
Evil twin AP deployment
Why it's wrong here
An evil twin attack involves setting up a rogue AP with the same SSID, unrelated to IV collection.
✓
WEP key recovery using aircrack-ng
Why this is correct
Correct. WEP cracking relies on collecting many unique IVs to exploit statistical weaknesses in the RC4 algorithm.
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.
✗
WPA handshake capture
Why it's wrong here
WPA cracking requires capturing the 4-way handshake, not a large number of unique IVs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 practitioner preparing for the CEH exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CEH question in full detail.
Identify which CEH exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Advanced Topics: Wireless, Cloud, IoT, Cryptography — This question tests Advanced Topics: Wireless, Cloud, IoT, Cryptography — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: WEP key recovery using aircrack-ng — WEP encryption is vulnerable to statistical attacks that require capturing many unique IVs to recover the WEP key. The large number of unique IVs indicates preparation for a WEP cracking attack using a tool like aircrack-ng.
What should I do if I get this CEH question wrong?
Identify which CEH exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security analyst captures a large number of weak initialization vectors (IVs) using airodump-ng. Which attack does this preparation indicate?
easy
A.WPS PIN brute force
B.WPA2 dictionary attack
✓ C.WEP key cracking
D.Evil twin attack
Why C: WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) uses the RC4 stream cipher with a 24-bit initialization vector (IV) that is transmitted in plaintext. Weak IVs, such as those identified by tools like airodump-ng, are predictable or repeatable, allowing an attacker to capture enough packets to recover the WEP key using statistical attacks like the FMS (Fluhrer, Mantin, Shamir) or KoreK attacks. This preparation directly indicates an attempt to crack the WEP key.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
Question Discussion
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