What type of attack seeks to repeat an authorized service?

• A. A passive attack
• B. A replay attack
• C. A disruption attack
• D. An integrity attack

Answer: (B)

A replay attack is a specific type of network attack where an unauthorized party captures and reuses valid data transmissions. The goal is to gain unauthorized access to a service by repeating a valid communication, such as a login request or transaction, which makes it seem as though the request is coming from a legitimate user.

In the context of cybersecurity, this attack exploits the fact that some systems do not adequately differentiate between new requests and previously sent requests that have been captured by an attacker. By replaying these requests, the attacker can potentially bypass authentication processes and gain access to sensitive information or services without being properly authenticated.

This distinguishes replay attacks from other types, like passive attacks, which might involve eavesdropping on communications without altering them, disruption attacks that aim to deny service, and integrity attacks that focus on altering data to compromise its authenticity. Each type of attack has its own methodology, but the defining characteristic of a replay attack is the repeated use of an authorized service to gain unauthorized access.