CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1002) — Question 318

Which of the following would MOST likely be used by an attacker to identify the hash value of a strong password quickly?

Answer options

• A. Brute force
• B. Key stretching
• C. Rainbow table
• D. Dictionary attack

Correct answer: C

Explanation

The correct answer is C, as rainbow tables are precomputed tables used to reverse cryptographic hash functions, making it easier for attackers to find hash values of strong passwords. A brute force attack (A) attempts all possible combinations, which is time-consuming, while key stretching (B) is a technique to make passwords more secure, and a dictionary attack (D) uses a list of common passwords, making it less effective against strong passwords.