Final answer:
A hybrid attack is an attack that combines a dictionary attack with a mask attack.
Therefore, the correct answer is: option c. an attack that combines a dictionary attack with a mask attack
Step-by-step explanation:
A hybrid attack is a type of cyberattack where the perp uses more than one tool to get into a device or network. While typical cyber attacks usually involve an attacker using one tool to crack a password or get into a device or network, a hybrid attack combines more, so the attack is stronger and more effective.
In a dictionary attack, an attacker uses a list of commonly used passwords or words from the dictionary to guess a user's password. However, some users may add slight variations or complexities to their passwords, such as changing letters to numbers or adding special characters.
A mask attack, on the other hand, is a brute force attack that uses a specific pattern or mask to generate all possible password combinations. By combining the two techniques, a hybrid attack increases the chances of successfully cracking a password by covering a wide range of possible variations.