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Ethical Hacking

Ethical hacking is the practice of intentionally probing computer systems, networks, or applications to identify security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Ethical hackers, also known as white-hat hackers, use their skills to strengthen cybersecurity by conducting penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and security audits. They operate with legal authorization, following ethical guidelines to protect sensitive data, prevent cyber threats, and enhance overall system security for organizations and individuals.

Task 1 The Ethical Hacker’s Mission

An ethical hacker, certified in penetration testing, has been hired by TechTrend Innovations, a mid-sized tech company, to evaluate their cybersecurity posture.

The company recently noticed minor incidents—unusual network slowdowns and employee reports of suspicious emails—and wants to ensure their defenses are robust before a real attack occurs. The ethical hacker’s task is to simulate threats within a defined scope, identify weaknesses, and provide actionable recommendations, all while adhering to ethical standards and legal boundaries.

Morning: Network Exploration
The engagement begins with a network scan, revealing port 22 (SSH) open on a server. With permission, Hydra is used to test for weak credentials, uncovering “admin:password123” as a valid login. Inside, a SUID binary is found—executing it escalates privileges to root. This misconfiguration is flagged as a critical flaw. Next, the VPN is examined, revealing it uses outdated PPTP. It’s cracked to demonstrate its vulnerability, noted for the report.

Midday: Web Application Testing
Focus shifts to TechTrend’s website. The login form accepts “admin’ OR ‘1’=‘1”, bypassing authentication—a clear SQL injection issue. A form echoes input unchanged; injecting triggers an alert, confirming XSS. A URL with “id=1” accepts “id=1 OR 1=1”—another SQL injection point. A .git directory is exposed, revealing source code and a hardcoded password in a config file. The site’s cookies lack the Secure flag, risking interception over HTTP. An error page displays “Apache 2.4.29” (Version disclosure), hinting at exploitable flaws.

Afternoon: Deeper Network Probes
Further scanning uncovers port 3389 (RDP) open on a public-facing server. Hydra cracks a weak password, granting access. On another server, port 445 (SMB) is open; shares are enumerated with SMB tools, exposing sensitive files. An outdated server runs SMBv1—it’s tested with EternalBlue, proving exploitability. The DNS server responds to external queries, risking a DNS amplification attack. The email server’s port 25 (SMTP) is tested, revealing an open relay, and POP3 credentials are sniffed in plaintext from a test account.

Evening: Privilege Escalation and Persistence Checks
On a Linux server with low-privilege access, sudo -l reveals executable commands as root (sudo privileges). On a Windows box, Mimikatz dumps credentials from memory, exposing admin passwords. An FTP server allows anonymous login, hosting an unprotected “backup.zip” with customer data (Data exposure). A file upload feature accepts a test shell, confirming unrestricted uploads. A crafted request (GET /../../etc/passwd) to a web server exposes a traversal flaw, returning sensitive files.

Night: Wrapping Up and Reporting
The Wi-Fi network is tested, capturing a WPA2 handshake and cracking it with Aircrack-ng to highlight weak pre-shared keys (Handshake). A WordPress site is scanned with WPScan, enumerating outdated plugins. An old Joomla site is probed with JoomScan, identifying version-specific vulnerabilities. On a Windows server, logs are cleared with wevtutil to demonstrate manipulation risks, then restored. A session hijack is simulated by reusing a sniffed session cookie from HTTP traffic, intercepted via ARP spoofing in a controlled environment.

Conclusion: Responsible Disclosure
With testing complete, a detailed report is compiled. Key findings include:

Weak credentials and misconfigured services (RDP, SSH, SUID).
Web app flaws (SQL injection, XSS, traversal).
Exposed data and poor configurations (FTP, .git, hardcoded passwords).
Network risks (open relay, amplification, weak VPN).
Social engineering potential from public employee info (Social).

The findings are presented to TechTrend’s IT team, explaining each vulnerability’s impact—such as how a zero-day flaw lacks a patch, or how a keylogger on a public PC could capture credentials. Recommendations include immediate patches, stronger policies (e.g., avoiding plaintext protocols like Telnet), and employee training to spot phishing or vishing. TechTrend appreciates the thorough, ethical assessment and begins implementing fixes.

Epilogue
The ethical hacker’s work bolsters TechTrend’s defenses, showcasing the value of proactive testing. By staying within scope, documenting every step, and prioritizing education, the engagement turns potential threats into actionable improvements, embodying the essence of ethical hacking.

Answer The Questions

Question 1
An attacker sends a fake SMS claiming a bank account is compromised, prompting the user to call a number and share OTPs. What attack is this?

Question 2
A company’s firewall blocks outbound ICMP traffic, but an attacker still exfiltrates data. How might they do it?

Question 3
During a pentest, you notice a server uses Telnet instead of SSH. Why is this a security risk?

Question 4
An employee receives a USB drive in the mail labeled “Payroll Updates” and plugs it in. What threat does this pose?

Question 5
A web app accepts user input like “admin’ OR ‘1’=‘1” and logs in without a password. What vulnerability is this?

Question 6
An attacker uses a compromised IoT device to flood a network with traffic. What is this attack called?

Question 7
A pentester finds an employee’s LinkedIn profile listing their exact job role and software used. Why is this risky?

Question 8
A company’s Wi-Fi uses WPA2-PSK, but an attacker still cracks it. What might have made this possible?

Question 9
An attacker calls an employee pretending to be IT support and asks for their VPN credentials. What is this technique?

Question 10
A server logs show repeated login attempts with different usernames. What is this indicative of?

Question 11
A website displays “Apache 2.4.29” in its error page. Why is this a problem?
Hint: It reveals something exploitable.

Question 12
An attacker uses a fake Wi-Fi hotspot at a coffee shop to intercept traffic. What is this called?

Question 13
A pentester finds a file named “backup.zip” on a server with no password. What risk does this pose?

Question 14
An attacker sends an email with a link that installs malware when clicked. What is this technique?

Question 15
A company’s IDS flags traffic to an unknown IP after an employee opens a PDF. What happened?

Question 16
An attacker exploits a flaw in a web app’s session handling to hijack a user’s account. What is this called?

Question 17
A pentester sees a server accepts “GET /../../etc/passwd” and returns sensitive data. What is this flaw?

Question 18
An attacker uses a stolen certificate to sign malware. Why is this effective?

Question 19
A company’s DNS server responds to queries from outside its network. What attack could this enable?

Question 20
An attacker records a user’s keystrokes via a hidden device on a public computer. What is this?

Question 21
A pentester finds a hardcoded password in a config file. Why is this dangerous?

Question 22
An attacker uses a compromised employee laptop to access a VPN. What principle failed here?

Question 23
A website’s cookies lack the “Secure” flag. What risk does this introduce?

Question 24
An attacker exploits a zero-day flaw in a company’s software. What makes this hard to defend?

Question 25
A pentester finds an open port 3389 on a public-facing server. What service is at risk?

Ethical Hacking

Task 1 The Ethical Hacker’s Mission

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