CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

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Regarding DoS and DDoS attacks, what is the primary effect of these attacks?

Increased data security
System overload leading to service disruption
Enhanced user experience
Data encryption

The correct answer is: System overload leading to service disruption

The primary effect of DoS (Denial of Service) and DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks is to overwhelm a target system, such as a server, network, or application, causing it to become unavailable to legitimate users. When designed to flood the system, these attacks can exceed the capacity of the target, leading to significant disruption of services. This results in downtime for the website or application, loss of functionality, and potential financial impacts for businesses. Understanding the operational mechanics of these attacks highlights their intent: achieving service unavailability was the primary goal. This contrasts with the other options, which do not align with the nature of DoS and DDoS attacks. For instance, increased data security, enhanced user experience, and data encryption do not result from a denial of service but rather refer to security measures, positive outcomes, or defensive mechanisms unrelated to the disruption caused by these attacks.