Free CompTIA PT0-002 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 5

Part 1 - 192.168.2.2 -O -sV --top-ports=100 and SMB vulns

Part 2 - Weak SMB file permissions

https://subscription.packtpub.com/book/networking-and-servers/9781786467454/1/ch01lvl1sec13/fingerprinting-os-and-services-running-on-a-target-host

The payload file=/proc/self/environ is used to exploit Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerabilities in web applications running on Linux systems. This payload allows the attacker to read the environment variables of the process running the web server, which can include sensitive information such as credentials, system paths, and configuration details. The other payloads mentioned are not as directly relevant to obtaining running process credentials in the context of an LFI vulnerability.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/side-channel-attack#:~:text=Side%2Dchannel%20attacks%20can%20even,share%20the%20same%20physical%20hardware

Upon discovering sensitive information, such as high-profile celebrities' user accounts, the most appropriate and ethical next step is to immediately contact the client. This allows the client to take necessary actions to secure the data and mitigate any potential risks. It is important for a penetration tester to maintain confidentiality and integrity, and directly contacting the celebrities (option A), deleting the accounts (option B), or merely recording the findings without immediate notification (option D) would not be appropriate professional responses.

A watering hole attack involves compromising a website that is frequently visited by the target organization or group. By gaining control of the internal web server hosting the IT knowledge base, a penetration tester could modify the content or introduce malicious code that would be downloaded or executed by employees who visit the site. This type of attack is effective because it leverages a trusted resource within the organization to spread malware or capture sensitive information.

Other options like vishing, whaling, and spear phishing involve direct social engineering attacks targeting individuals, whereas a watering hole attack leverages a compromised website to target multiple users within the organization.

References:

Explanation of watering hole attacks: OWASP Watering Hole

Examples from penetration testing engagements where web server compromises were used to conduct watering hole attacks​​​​.

The output provided indicates the use of the NTP protocol (Network Time Protocol) for querying a target system. The reference to "Public Clients" and the specific IP addresses listed, along with the mention of "Other Associations" and the use of NTP version 2, points towards the execution of an NTP monlist request. The monlist feature in NTP servers can be used to obtain a list of the last 600 hosts that have interacted with the NTP server. The command nmap -sU -pU:123 -Pn -n —script=ntp-monlist <target> specifically targets NTP servers on UDP port 123 to retrieve this information, making it the correct choice based on the output shown.

An evil twin attack involves setting up a rogue wireless access point that mimics a legitimate one. This type of attack can be highly effective in a penetration testing scenario because it can intercept and capture data transmitted over the network without causing noticeable interruptions to the normal operation of the wireless network. Users are tricked into connecting to the evil twin instead of the legitimate access point, allowing the penetration testers to capture sensitive information. Unlike jamming, which disrupts the network, or bluejacking, which is limited to sending unsolicited messages, the evil twin can facilitate man-in-the-middle attacks seamlessly.

References:

OWASP Wireless Evil Twin Attack

Kali Linux Evil Twin Tutorial

 Detecting a Web Application Firewall (WAF) helps penetration testers understand the protective measures in place and tailor their testing methods to bypass these defenses.

 Details:

A. Direct-to-origin testing: Useful for bypassing CDN but not specifically for detecting protective mechanisms like WAF.

B. Antivirus scanning: Not relevant for web application attacks.

C. Scapy packet crafting: Useful for network-level testing but not for detecting web application protections.

D. WAF detection: Identifies if a WAF is present, which is critical for understanding and bypassing web application defenses.

 References: WAF detection techniques are documented in web application security testing methodologies such as OWASP.