Strong Passwords: Mitigating Attacks in Information Security | CISM Exam Preparation

Which Attacks Are Best Mitigated by Utilizing Strong Passwords?

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Question

Which of the following attacks is BEST mitigated by utilizing strong passwords?

Answers

Explanations

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A. B. C. D.

B.

A brute force attack is normally successful against weak passwords, whereas strong passwords would not prevent any of the other attacks.

Man-in-the-middle attacks intercept network traffic, which could contain passwords, but is not naturally password-protected.

Remote buffer overflows rarely require a password to exploit a remote host.

Root kits hook into the operating system's kernel and, therefore, operate underneath any authentication mechanism.

The attack that is best mitigated by utilizing strong passwords is a brute force attack (Option B).

Explanation:

A brute force attack is a technique used by attackers to try every possible password combination until the correct one is found. This type of attack is particularly effective against weak passwords, such as "password," "123456," or "qwerty."

Utilizing strong passwords can help prevent brute force attacks. A strong password is a password that is difficult for attackers to guess or crack. A strong password typically contains a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and it is at least 12 characters long.

Man-in-the-middle attacks, remote buffer overflows, and root kits are not primarily prevented by strong passwords:

  • Man-in-the-middle attacks occur when an attacker intercepts communication between two parties, allowing them to eavesdrop, modify, or impersonate one or both parties. Strong passwords alone cannot prevent this type of attack. Instead, encryption protocols, such as SSL/TLS, can help protect against man-in-the-middle attacks.

  • Remote buffer overflows occur when an attacker sends more data to a buffer than it can handle, causing the program to crash or execute arbitrary code. Strong passwords alone cannot prevent this type of attack. Instead, programming best practices, such as input validation and buffer overflow protection mechanisms, can help prevent remote buffer overflows.

  • Root kits are malicious software that allows an attacker to maintain privileged access to a compromised system while remaining undetected. Strong passwords alone cannot prevent this type of attack. Instead, security measures such as regular security updates, system hardening, and security monitoring can help prevent root kit attacks.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. Brute force attack.