PEN-200 Active Directory Attacks Practice Question
Which of the following describes the 'GPP Password' vulnerability?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume GPP passwords are fully secure because they are encrypted. They overlook that the encryption key is publicly known, making the 'encryption' effectively transparent to any attacker with access.
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
✓
The storage of cleartext credentials in GPO XML files
Group Policy Preferences (GPP) allows administrators to manage local accounts on domain computers. In older versions of Windows, these passwords were encrypted with a static, publicly known AES key. If an attacker gains read access to the 'Groups.xml' file in the SYSVOL share, they can decrypt the 'cpassword' attribute, revealing the cleartext password of the local administrator account for the affected machine.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A flaw in the Kerberos preauthentication mechanism
Why it's wrong here
Kerberos preauthentication vulnerabilities relate to AS-REP Roasting or ticket request failures. GPP password issues are entirely separate, involving stored credentials in Group Policy files within the SYSVOL share. They do not involve the Kerberos authentication process or the mechanisms used to request tickets from the Key Distribution Center.
- ✓
The storage of cleartext credentials in GPO XML files
Why this is correct
GPP password vulnerability occurs when sensitive credentials stored in Group Policy XML files are encrypted using a publicly available static key. This allows anyone with read access to the SYSVOL share to decrypt the 'cpassword' attribute and obtain the cleartext password, facilitating unauthorized access to local administrator accounts.
- ✗
The inability to enforce password complexity on GPOs
Why it's wrong here
While password complexity is important, the GPP password vulnerability is specifically about the insecure encryption of credentials already stored in a policy. The lack of complexity is a separate issue from the exposure of a password that is already defined and stored insecurely in a Group Policy file.
- ✗
A failure in the Domain Controller's LDAP signing
Why it's wrong here
LDAP signing is a separate security control meant to protect the integrity of LDAP communications. Disabling it may allow for LDAP relay attacks, but it has no direct relationship to the GPP password vulnerability, which is rooted in the static encryption used for credentials within the SYSVOL file share.
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
About these practice questions
This PEN-200 question is part of Courseiva's 285-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official OffSec exam blueprint
This PEN-200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free OffSec certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PEN-200 exam.