What is rate limiting in cybersecurity, and how does it block multiple failed login attempts from the same IP? Learn how rate limiting defends against brute force and credential stuffing attacks—essential for CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 exam success.
Table of Contents
Question
A company implements a security feature that blocks multiple failed login attempts from the same IP address. What is this an example of?
A. Account lockout policy
B. CAPTCHA
C. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
D. Rate limiting
E. Single sign-on (SSO)
Answer
D. Rate limiting
Explanation
Rate limiting restricts the number of login attempts from an IP, helping prevent brute force and credential stuffing attacks.
The security feature that blocks multiple failed login attempts from the same IP address is rate limiting.
Rate limiting is a technique used to control the number of requests a user or device can make to a server within a specific time frame. When applied to login attempts, rate limiting restricts how many times a single IP address can try to log in within a set period.
This measure is highly effective against brute force and credential stuffing attacks, where attackers use automated tools to rapidly try many username and password combinations in hopes of guessing valid credentials.
If the number of failed login attempts from a particular IP exceeds the defined threshold, further requests are blocked or delayed until the time window resets, making automated attacks much less feasible.
Rate limiting can be implemented using several algorithms, such as token bucket or leaky bucket, and is a critical part of web application and API security.
While account lockout policies also address failed login attempts, rate limiting specifically focuses on controlling request rates to prevent abuse and maintain system stability.
Rate limiting restricts the number of login attempts from an IP address within a given time frame, effectively defending against brute force and credential stuffing attacks by blocking or delaying excessive requests.
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