Certain types of attacks have been made more potent by which of the following advances to microprocessor technology?

A.
Increased circuits, cache memory, and multiprogramming

B.
Dual mode computation

C.
Direct memory access I/O

D.
Increases in processing power

Explanation:
D: Due to the increase of personal computer and server processing power, it is now possible to be more successful in brute-force and cracking attacks against
security mechanisms that would not have been possible a few years ago. Today’s processors can execute an amazing number of instructions per second. These
instructions can be used to attempt to crack passwords or encryption keys or instructions to send nefarious packets to victim systems.
A is incorrect because increased circuits, cache memory, and multiprogramming do not make certain types of attacks more potent. Multiprogramming means that
more than one program or process can be loaded into memory at the same time. This is what allows you to run your antivirus software, word processor, firewall, and email
client simultaneously. Cache memory is a type of memory used for high-speed writing and reading activities. When the system assumes (through its programmatic
logic) that it will need to access specific information many times throughout its processing activities, it will store the information in cache memory so that it is easily and
quickly accessible.
B is incorrect because the answer is a distracter. There is no real dual-mode computation when examining the advances in microprocessors.
C is incorrect because direct memory access (DMA) is a way of transferring instructions and data between I/O (input/output) devices and the system’s memory
without using the CPU. This speeds up data transfer rates significantly. DMA basically offloads work from the CPU by ensuring that more simple instructions are
interpreted and executed through other processing capabilities within the computer system. This is not an advancement to microprocessor technology.