Information Technology Specialist (ITS) Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What is the primary goal of a Denial of Service (DoS) attack?

1. Steal sensitive information

2. Disrupt service availability

3. Increase network traffic

4. Compromise user credentials

The correct answer is: Disrupt service availability

The primary goal of a Denial of Service (DoS) attack is to disrupt service availability. In such an attack, the perpetrator aims to make a service or a network resource unavailable to its intended users by overwhelming it with a flood of illegitimate requests or traffic. This can result in legitimate users being unable to access the targeted service, which can lead to significant operational disruptions for businesses and individuals alike. While other options may involve different forms of malicious activity, they do not capture the essence of what a DoS attack seeks to achieve. For example, stealing sensitive information or compromising user credentials relates to the unauthorized access and manipulation of data, rather than simply denying access to a service. Additionally, while a DoS attack may incidentally cause increased network traffic as it seeks to overwhelm a target, that increase in traffic itself is not the goal. The focus is squarely on service disruption, making it the correct answer.