The answer is dictionary, brute force, and rainbow table attacks. A dictionary attack uses a precompiled list of likely passwords, while a brute force attack systematically tries every possible character combination until the correct password is found—computationally expensive but guaranteed to succeed given enough time. A rainbow table attack precomputes hash values for common passwords, allowing rapid reversal of password hashes without repeated hashing. On the CEH exam, these three are frequently grouped together as core password cracking techniques, with the common trap being to confuse rainbow tables with brute force or to overlook that a hybrid attack combines dictionary and brute force elements. Remember the mnemonic “DBR” for Dictionary, Brute force, Rainbow—each exploits a different weakness: human predictability, exhaustive search, and hash precomputation.
CEH Enumeration and System Hacking Practice Question
This CEH practice question tests your understanding of enumeration and system hacking. 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.
Which THREE of the following are common techniques used in the 'Cracking passwords' phase of system hacking? (Select 3)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Brute force attack
A brute force attack systematically tries every possible combination of characters until the correct password is found. This is a fundamental technique in the password cracking phase, often used when no prior knowledge of the password exists. It is computationally expensive but guaranteed to succeed given enough time.
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 this is correct
Brute force tries all possible character combinations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Rainbow table attack
Why this is correct
Rainbow tables use precomputed hash chains.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Keylogging
Why it's wrong here
Keylogging captures keystrokes to steal passwords as they are typed, but it is not a cracking technique; it is spying.
✗
Social engineering
Why it's wrong here
Social engineering manipulates people to reveal passwords, but it is not a technical password cracking method.
✓
Dictionary attack
Why this is correct
A dictionary attack uses a wordlist of common passwords.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing password capturing techniques (like keylogging or social engineering) with password cracking techniques that operate on captured hashes or encrypted passwords.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Brute force attacks typically target password hashes (e.g., NTLM, SHA-1, bcrypt) by hashing each candidate and comparing it to the stored hash. Tools like John the Ripper or Hashcat can leverage GPU acceleration to test billions of guesses per second. Rainbow table attacks precompute hash chains to reverse hashes quickly, trading storage for time, but are ineffective against salted hashes (e.g., Unix crypt() with a random salt).
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CEH question in full detail.
Enumeration and System Hacking — This question tests Enumeration and System Hacking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Brute force attack — A brute force attack systematically tries every possible combination of characters until the correct password is found. This is a fundamental technique in the password cracking phase, often used when no prior knowledge of the password exists. It is computationally expensive but guaranteed to succeed given enough time.
What should I do if I get this CEH question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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