The company hired a computer programmer to safeguard its systems from the security threat of password guessing and capturing. In this scenario, the type of security threat the company is facing is related to unauthorized access through weak or compromised passwords.
The correct answer to the question is:
- A. Sniffing
Explanation:
1. Sniffing is a security threat where hackers intercept and capture data as it travels across a network. In this case, the hacker used methods of password guessing and capturing, which aligns with the concept of sniffing.
2. By hiring a computer programmer to safeguard its systems, the company aims to prevent unauthorized access through sniffing attacks by strengthening the security measures and encryption protocols to protect data transmission.
While spoofing, phishing, and pharming are also common security threats, the specific methods of password guessing and capturing mentioned in the question indicate a sniffing attack as the primary concern that the company is addressing through the programmer's intervention.
