Many of our clients have been subject to repeated attempts to access their network from unauthorized sources. One type of attack we often see is brute force logins. How do you recommend they defend against this type of attack?

This is a direct question to determine your knowledge in this area. This type of attack is one of the more common ones related to network security, and you should be aware of and able to recommend measures to defend against it.

"Brute force login attacks are common, and there are three measures you can use to defend against them. The first is account lockout. Any account attempting this type of access can be locked until the administrator decides if it has been compromised or not. The second defense is called progressive delay. This involves locking the account for a set period of time after several unsuccessful login attempts. Finally, there is the challenge-response test, where users are asked to verify a predetermined security question they set up when registering for their account. I would recommend either one or a combination of these which best meet the client's business model."

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