The correct answer is that the system experienced a brute-force attack on the root account originating from IP 192.168.1.100, which eventually succeeded. This is determined by the journal output for sshd.service, which reveals a clear pattern of repeated failed authentication attempts for the root user from that IP, followed by a single successful login line reading "Accepted password for root." In security analysis, this sequence of many failures capped by a success is the hallmark of a brute-force attack, where an attacker systematically tries passwords until one works. On the Red Hat Certified System Administrator EX200 exam, this scenario tests your ability to identify brute force attack from sshd journal logs, a key skill for system security and incident response. A common trap is mistaking the successful login as normal activity, but the preceding flood of failures gives the attack away. Memory tip: think "fail flood, then success" — if you see a tsunami of "Failed password" entries before an "Accepted," it’s brute force, not a legitimate user.
EX200 Operate running systems Practice Question
This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of operate running systems. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
# systemctl status sshd
● sshd.service - OpenSSH server daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2025-02-17 10:30:45 EST; 2h 15min ago
Main PID: 1234 (sshd)
Status: "Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22."
CGroup: /system.slice/sshd.service
└─1234 /usr/sbin/sshd -D
Feb 17 12:45:01 localhost sshd[1234]: Did not receive identification string from 192.168.1.100 port 54321
Feb 17 12:45:02 localhost sshd[1234]: Connection closed by 192.168.1.100 port 54321 [preauth]
Feb 17 12:46:10 localhost sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54322 ssh2
Feb 17 12:46:10 localhost sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54322 ssh2
Feb 17 12:46:11 localhost sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54322 ssh2
Feb 17 12:46:11 localhost sshd[1234]: Connection closed by 192.168.1.100 port 54322 [preauth]
Feb 17 12:47:05 localhost sshd[1234]: Accepted password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54323 ssh2
Feb 17 12:47:05 localhost sshd[1234]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Refer to the exhibit. A security analyst reviews the journal output for sshd.service. Which of the following best describes the observed pattern of events?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Refer to the exhibit.
# systemctl status sshd
● sshd.service - OpenSSH server daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2025-02-17 10:30:45 EST; 2h 15min ago
Main PID: 1234 (sshd)
Status: "Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22."
CGroup: /system.slice/sshd.service
└─1234 /usr/sbin/sshd -D
Feb 17 12:45:01 localhost sshd[1234]: Did not receive identification string from 192.168.1.100 port 54321
Feb 17 12:45:02 localhost sshd[1234]: Connection closed by 192.168.1.100 port 54321 [preauth]
Feb 17 12:46:10 localhost sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54322 ssh2
Feb 17 12:46:10 localhost sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54322 ssh2
Feb 17 12:46:11 localhost sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54322 ssh2
Feb 17 12:46:11 localhost sshd[1234]: Connection closed by 192.168.1.100 port 54322 [preauth]
Feb 17 12:47:05 localhost sshd[1234]: Accepted password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 54323 ssh2
Feb 17 12:47:05 localhost sshd[1234]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
A
The system is under a denial-of-service attack because the connections are being closed before authentication.
Why wrong: The connections are closed after failed attempts, but a successful login occurred, indicating a brute-force attack rather than DoS.
B
The SSH service is malfunctioning and dropping connections due to a configuration error.
Why wrong: The service is operating normally; the failed attempts are due to incorrect passwords.
C
Multiple hosts are attempting to connect to the SSH service simultaneously, causing connection errors.
Why wrong: All connections are from the same IP address 192.168.1.100.
D
The system experienced a brute-force attack on the root account originating from IP 192.168.1.100, which eventually succeeded.
The logs show multiple failed attempts followed by a successful login from the same IP.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The system experienced a brute-force attack on the root account originating from IP 192.168.1.100, which eventually succeeded.
The journal output shows repeated failed authentication attempts for the root user from IP 192.168.1.100, followed by a successful login. This pattern is characteristic of a brute-force attack where an attacker tries many passwords until one works. The final 'Accepted password for root' line confirms the attack succeeded, making D correct.
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.
✗
The system is under a denial-of-service attack because the connections are being closed before authentication.
Why it's wrong here
The connections are closed after failed attempts, but a successful login occurred, indicating a brute-force attack rather than DoS.
✗
The SSH service is malfunctioning and dropping connections due to a configuration error.
Why it's wrong here
The service is operating normally; the failed attempts are due to incorrect passwords.
✗
Multiple hosts are attempting to connect to the SSH service simultaneously, causing connection errors.
Why it's wrong here
All connections are from the same IP address 192.168.1.100.
✓
The system experienced a brute-force attack on the root account originating from IP 192.168.1.100, which eventually succeeded.
Why this is correct
The logs show multiple failed attempts followed by a successful login from the same IP.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Red Hat often tests the distinction between a denial-of-service attack (which would show connections dropped before authentication) and a brute-force attack (which shows repeated failed authentications followed by a success), leading candidates to confuse the two patterns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSH journal entries record each authentication attempt with the source IP, username, and result. A brute-force attack typically shows a high frequency of 'Failed password' entries from one IP, followed by an 'Accepted' entry. The 'Accepted password for root' line indicates the attacker successfully guessed the root password, compromising the system. In real-world scenarios, tools like fail2ban or sshd_config settings (e.g., MaxAuthTries, MaxStartups) are used to mitigate such attacks.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Operate running systems — This question tests Operate running systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The system experienced a brute-force attack on the root account originating from IP 192.168.1.100, which eventually succeeded. — The journal output shows repeated failed authentication attempts for the root user from IP 192.168.1.100, followed by a successful login. This pattern is characteristic of a brute-force attack where an attacker tries many passwords until one works. The final 'Accepted password for root' line confirms the attack succeeded, making D correct.
What should I do if I get this EX200 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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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