Which mode is brute-force with default rules starting near keyboard neighbors?

• A. Wordlist
• B. Single Crack
• C. Incremental
• D. External

Answer: (C)

Incremental mode is a brute-force approach that systematically enumerates every possible password from a predefined character set, increasing length over time. In John the Ripper, this mode uses a default incremental configuration that defines which characters to try and in what order, progressing through candidates by length rather than relying on a dictionary or targeted transformations. Because it explores all combinations from that set, it will naturally generate patterns that users often choose, including sequences built from characters that are neighbors on a keyboard, which is why it’s described as starting near keyboard neighbors. Wordlist attacks rely on dictionaries, Single Crack applies user-specific transformations, and External delegates cracking to an outside tool. Thus, the incremental brute-force mode with its default charset and length progression best matches the described approach.