An IT technician notices an unusually high number of failed login attempts on a company's server over the weekend, which is not typical for the business operations. The server logs reveal that these login attempts were directed at various user accounts using different IP addresses. What type of security threat is most likely occurring?
A large number of failed login attempts from various IP addresses targeting different user accounts is indicative of a distributed brute-force attack. In this attack, the culprit is using multiple systems to try a wide range of password combinations in hopes of gaining unauthorized access to user accounts. The distributed nature of the attack, utilizing various IPs, helps in avoiding detection and bypassing account lockout policies. It's critical to spot this early on to implement measures such as account lockouts, IP restrictions, and strong password policies to prevent access.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What is a brute-force attack?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
How does a distributed brute-force attack differ from a denial of service (DoS) attack?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What protective measures can mitigate distributed brute-force attacks?