CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

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

1. To provide unauthorized access to a network

2. To cause a service to become unavailable

3. To gather sensitive data from a system

4. To enhance network performance

The correct answer is: To cause a service to become unavailable

The main goal of a Denial of Service (DoS) attack is to cause a service to become unavailable to its intended users. In a DoS attack, the attacker overwhelms the target system, server, or network with an excessive amount of traffic or requests that it cannot handle. This results in legitimate users being unable to access the service, whether it be a website, application, or network resource. The primary focus of a DoS attack is to disrupt the normal functioning of a service, rendering it ineffective or completely unreachable. This type of attack can take various forms, including flooding the target with traffic, exploiting software vulnerabilities, or consuming resources until they are depleted. By causing unavailability, the attacker can affect business operations, damage reputation, and create frustration among users, which is the fundamental purpose of a DoS attack. The other choices represent different types of malicious activities that do not align with the core objective of a DoS attack, which is specifically related to service interruption rather than unauthorized access, data gathering, or performance enhancement.