Password Attacks

Why is storing passwords in plaintext considered a significant security concern?

• It makes the application run slower.

• It requires more storage space.

• Anyone with access to the password file or database can read all credentials.

• It prevents users from changing their passwords frequently.

What is a key characteristic of a hashed password?

• It can be easily reversed to recover the original password.

• It represents data as a fixed-length string of text.

• Different inputs will always produce the same hash.

• It is primarily used for encryption, not integrity.

What is the primary goal of a spraying attack?

• To lock out as many user accounts as possible.

• To identify accounts with common, weak passwords without causing lockouts.

• To encrypt user passwords for secure storage.

• To gain access to a single, specific high-value account.

What is a significant advantage of performing a brute force attack offline compared to online?

• Offline attacks are faster due to higher network bandwidth.

• Offline attacks are less likely to cause account lockouts or trigger alarms.

• Offline attacks require less computational power.

• Offline attacks can only be performed on encrypted passwords.