System Hacking Module 05 Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the main goal of the 'Gaining Access' stage in system hacking?

  • To hide malicious activities
  • To escalate privileges
  • To gain unauthorized access to the system (correct)
  • To clear logs
  • Which technique is NOT typically used for hiding files during a hacking attempt?

  • Phishing (correct)
  • Trojans
  • Rootkits
  • Steganography
  • What type of password attack involves directly communicating with the victim machine?

  • Non-Electronic Attacks
  • Active Online Attacks (correct)
  • Social Engineering
  • Passive Online Attacks
  • Which of the following is an example of a Non-Electronic Attack?

    <p>Shoulder Surfing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following techniques is used in the 'Escalating Privileges' stage of system hacking?

    <p>Password cracking</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What action can an attacker perform using a USB drive after exploiting PassView?

    <p>Store passwords in .TXT files</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes a replay attack?

    <p>Capturing and reusing authentication tokens</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of wire sniffing as an attack method?

    <p>It captures data from the local area network</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main purpose of a rainbow table in password cracking?

    <p>To precompute hash values for potential passwords</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a recommended defense against password cracking?

    <p>Use cleartext protocols for convenience</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a method to increase password security before encryption?

    <p>Adding a random string as a prefix or suffix</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of privilege escalation refers to gaining higher privileges than currently possessed?

    <p>Vertical Privilege Escalation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a recommended defense against privilege escalation?

    <p>Performing regular system patches</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of executing malicious applications during an attack?

    <p>To gather information for exploitation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which password practice should be avoided to enhance security?

    <p>Using names of loved ones or pets</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary method used in a dictionary attack?

    <p>Using a list of common passwords to guess the correct one</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a brute forcing attack primarily rely on?

    <p>Systematic trial of all possible character combinations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the action performed during a password guessing attack?

    <p>Manually trying a list of possible passwords</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a default password?

    <p>A manufacturer-supplied password provided with new equipment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does a Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger attack typically operate?

    <p>By capturing user credentials during login</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An attacker uses offline attacks to crack passwords on the victim's machine directly.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a dictionary attack, the software attempts to crack passwords by using a pre-defined list of words.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger attacks do not require any action from the victim to collect user credentials.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Attackers often include default passwords in their lists for password guessing attacks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Brute forcing attacks try every possible password combination until they find the correct one.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hiding files is a goal of system hacking aimed at concealing an attacker's activities.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A passive online attack involves directly communicating with the victim machine.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Shoulder surfing is classified as a non-electronic password attack.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Brute forcing attacks are a type of passive online attack.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The goal of escalating privileges in system hacking is to maintain remote access to the system.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Wire sniffing is relatively easy to perpetrate.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A rainbow table contains precomputed hash values for passwords.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a replay attack, the attacker captures packets and re-sends authentication tokens to gain access.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    PassView stores passwords in an encrypted format on the attacker’s USB drive.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    To defend against password cracking, it is recommended to use passwords that can be found in a dictionary.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Using a random string as a prefix or suffix with the password before encrypting is a recommended practice.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Vertical privilege escalation involves assuming the identity of another user with the same privileges.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Locking out an account after too many incorrect password guesses helps prevent brute force attacks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Encrypting sensitive data is not a necessary defense against privilege escalation.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Attackers may execute malicious applications to gather information or maintain unauthorized access to systems.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Shoulder surfing is considered a type of active online password attack.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Brute forcing attacks are primarily based on pre-defined lists of words.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The primary method used in password guessing attacks involves direct communication with the victim's system.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A passive online attack allows an attacker to communicate with the authorizing party.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Encrypting sensitive data is a recommended defense against password cracking.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    PassView executed from a USB drive stores passwords in .TXT files on the targeted computer.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Wire sniffing is considered relatively hard to perpetrate.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A rainbow table attack can crack passwords easily by comparing captured hashes to a precomputed table.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A replay attack involves sending previously captured packets back onto the network to gain access.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An offline attack involves the attacker trying to crack passwords on their own system after copying the target's password file.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a brute forcing attack, the attacker makes educated guesses about the password based on prior knowledge.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    To enhance security, it is advised to use system default passwords.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger attacks collect user credentials by running in the background and sending data to the attacker.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Password guessing attacks have a high success rate due to the wide range of passwords used.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Default passwords provided by manufacturers are often targeted in password guessing attacks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Using encryption techniques to protect sensitive data is not a necessary defense against privilege escalation.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Horizontal privilege escalation refers to gaining higher privileges than currently possessed.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Locking out an account after too many incorrect password guesses is an effective measure to prevent brute force attacks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Performing debugging using bounds checkers and stress tests is a recommended measure to defend against privilege escalation.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Attackers executing malicious applications is called 'owning' the system.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary goal during the 'Executing Applications' stage of system hacking?

    <p>To create and maintain remote access to the system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which technique is primarily associated with the 'Hiding Files' goal within system hacking?

    <p>Steganography.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes passive online attacks from active online attacks in password cracking?

    <p>They don't involve direct communication with the victim machine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of attack is shoulder surfing categorized under?

    <p>Non-Electronic attack.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary method used in the escalation of privileges during hacking?

    <p>Exploit known system vulnerabilities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a recommended method to limit potential privilege escalation in a system?

    <p>Implement multi-factor authentication and authorization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of privilege escalation involves assuming the same privileges of another user?

    <p>Horizontal privilege escalation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which password-related practice should be avoided to enhance security?

    <p>Using passwords that contain personal information</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can servers best defend against brute force attacks on user accounts?

    <p>Lock out an account after too many incorrect password guesses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the main purposes of executing malicious applications during an attack?

    <p>To gather intelligence for future attacks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of a passive online attack such as wire sniffing?

    <p>It records raw network traffic to access sensitive information.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a key step in performing a rainbow table attack?

    <p>Comparing captured password hashes with a precomputed table.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What must an attacker typically possess to execute a Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack?

    <p>Trust from one or both communication parties.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes a replay attack from other methods of password cracking?

    <p>It captures data and uses it without the need to crack passwords.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which attack involves using a list of potential passwords that have been ranked based on probability?

    <p>Password Guessing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main function of a rainbow table in the context of an offline attack?

    <p>To quickly match precomputed hash values with passwords</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which option best describes a brute forcing attack?

    <p>Systematically trying every possible combination of characters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In an active online attack using Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger, what is the first step taken by the attacker?

    <p>Attacker infects the victim's machine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do default passwords play in password guessing attacks?

    <p>They are often used as common entries in password lists</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The primary goal of escalating privileges in system hacking is to bypass access controls to gain initial access to the system.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Wire sniffing is an example of an active online attack where the attacker communicates directly with the victim's machine.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Social engineering is classified as a non-electronic attack that requires technical knowledge.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Brute forcing attacks involve systematically trying every possible password combination until the correct one is found.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The clearing of logs is an activity aimed at covering tracks during system hacking.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Vertical privilege escalation refers to acquiring the same level of privileges that already has been granted.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Implementing multi-factor authentication and authorization can help defend against privilege escalation attacks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Running users and applications on the least privileges is not a recommended strategy against privilege escalation.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An attacker may execute malicious programs remotely to maintain unauthorized access to a system by 'owning' it.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A privilege separation methodology is used to increase the scope of programming errors and bugs.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a dictionary attack, the attacker relies solely on the specific knowledge of the target's password history to create the dictionary file.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The failure rate for password guessing attacks is typically low due to the structured approach the attacker takes in creating potential passwords.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger attacks necessitate active participation from the victim to collect user credentials successfully.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Using pre-computed hashes, such as those in a rainbow table, is not applicable in offline attacks as they rely on real-time interaction with the target's system.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Default passwords are commonly utilized by attackers in dictionary attacks to increase the success rate of their password guessing efforts.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a wire sniffing attack, the captured data may include sensitive information such as passwords and emails, making it easy to recover them.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A replay attack is characterized by an attacker acquiring access to communication channels between the victim and server to extract information.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Setting a password change policy to 30 days is a recommended defense against password cracking.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    PassView is designed to save passwords in an encrypted format, ensuring their security when stored on a USB drive.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Rainbow table attacks rely on precomputed tables containing a list of possible passwords and their hash values, making it easier to crack passwords.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following techniques is primarily used in the 'Hiding Files' stage of system hacking?

    <p>Rootkits</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Shoulder surfing is an example of an active online attack.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main goal of the 'Escalating Privileges' stage in system hacking?

    <p>To acquire the rights of another user or an admin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In password cracking, _____ attacks involve the attacker trying to gain access without communicating with the victim machine.

    <p>passive online</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following types of password attacks with their descriptions:

    <p>Shoulder Surfing = Non-Electronic Attack Dictionary Attack = Active Online Attack Wire Sniffing = Passive Online Attack Social Engineering = Non-Electronic Attack</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method allows an attacker to collect user credentials from a victim's machine without the victim's knowledge?

    <p>Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A dictionary attack relies on a predefined list of common passwords to attempt access.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common use of default passwords by attackers?

    <p>Default passwords are used in password guessing attacks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a brute forcing attack, the software tries every possible __________ until the password is cracked.

    <p>combination of characters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following methods is used to gain access during a replay attack?

    <p>Re-sending captured packets</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following password attack methods with their descriptions:

    <p>Dictionary Attack = Uses a list of words to attempt access Brute Force Attack = Attempts every possible combination of characters Password Guessing = Creates a list of likely passwords based on information Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger = Stealthily collects user credentials in the background</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Wire sniffing is considered easy to perpetrate.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of a rainbow table in relation to password cracking?

    <p>To compare captured password hashes to precomputed tables, making it easier to recover passwords.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The attacker executes _____ to extract stored passwords when using PassView.

    <p>pspv.exe</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the type of attack with its description:

    <p>Wire Sniffing = Recording raw network traffic Replay Attack = Re-sending captured authentication tokens Man-in-the-Middle = Interception of communication channels Rainbow Table Attack = Using precomputed hash tables to crack passwords</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary defense against privilege escalation?

    <p>Implement multi-factor authentication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Vertical privilege escalation allows an attacker to acquire the same level of privileges as another user.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What should be done to an account that has too many incorrect password attempts?

    <p>Lock out the account</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Using a random string as a ______ or suffix with the password enhances security before encryption.

    <p>prefix</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the types of privilege escalation with their definitions:

    <p>Vertical Privilege Escalation = Gaining higher privileges than currently possessed Horizontal Privilege Escalation = Assuming the identity of another user with similar privileges</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    System Hacking Module 05

    • System hacking module 5 is titled "Unmask the Invisible Hacker"
    • The module covers information gathered before the system hacking stage, system hacking goals, and CEH hacking methodology.
    • Information at Hand Before System Hacking Stage:
      • Footprinting Module: IP Range, Namespace, Employees
      • Scanning Module: Target assessment, Identified systems, Identified services
      • Enumeration Module: Intrusive probing, User lists, Security flaws
    • System Hacking Goals:
      • Gaining Access: Bypassing access controls to access the system using password cracking and social engineering techniques
      • Escalating Privileges: Acquiring the rights of another user or administrator through exploiting known system vulnerabilities
      • Executing Applications: Creating and maintaining remote access to the system using Trojans, spywares, backdoors, and keyloggers
      • Hiding Files: Hiding attackers' malicious activities and data theft via rootkits and steganography
      • Covering Tracks: Hiding evidence of compromise through clearing logs

    CEH Hacking Methodology (CHM)

    • Footprinting, scanning, enumeration are steps in the methodology
    • Gaining access leads to cracking passwords, escalating privileges, executing applications, hiding files, and covering tracks
    • Clearing logs is a step in CHM

    Password Cracking

    • Password cracking techniques are used to recover passwords from computer systems
    • Attackers use these techniques to gain unauthorized access to vulnerable systems
    • The success of most password cracking techniques is often attributed to weak or easily guessable passwords

    Types of Password Attacks

    • Non-Electronic Attacks: Attackers don't need technical knowledge to crack passwords, such as shoulder surfing, social engineering, and dumpster diving
    • Active Online Attacks: Attackers directly communicate with the victim's machine to crack passwords, including dictionary and brute-force attacks, and hash injection and phishing
    • Passive Online Attacks: Attackers crack passwords without direct communication with the victim, like password guessing, and wire sniffing
    • Offline Attacks: Attackers copy the target's password file and crack passwords in their own system, such as rainbow table attacks

    Active Online Attack: Dictionary, Brute Forcing, and Rule-based Attack

    • Dictionary Attack: Uses a dictionary file to crack passwords, running against user accounts.
    • Brute Forcing Attack: Tries different combinations of characters until the password is broken.
    • Rule-based Attack: Used when the attacker has some information about the password to predict the password

    Active Online Attack: Password Guessing

    • Attackers create a list of possible passwords, often gathered through social engineering or other means
    • The list is then used to try and crack passwords through manual attempts
    • Passwords are ranked from high to low probability
    • Attackers attempt to key in each password until they discover the correct password

    Default Passwords

    • Default passwords are those supplied by manufacturers on new equipment (e.g., switches, routers)
    • Attackers use lists of default passwords in password-guessing attacks
    • Online tools help identify default passwords

    Active Online Attack: Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger

    • Attackers install Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger on victims' machines to collect usernames and passwords
    • These programs run in the background and send user credentials to the attacker
    • Attacker perspective: Infects victim's device with Trojan/Spyware/Keylogger, sending login credentials
    • Victim perspective: Logs on to a domain server with credentials
    • Domain server perspective: Access granted

    Example of Active Online Attack Using USB Drive

    • Attacker inserts USB drive
    • Autorun window pops up
    • Contents of launch.bat run
    • Password-cracking tool PassView executed in background
    • Passwords stored in .TXT files on USB drive
    • Download PassView password hacking tool
    • Copy downloaded files to USB drive

    Passive Online Attack: Wire Sniffing

    • Attackers run packet sniffer tools to access and record raw network traffic
    • Information like passwords and emails can be captured
    • Sniffed credentials are used to gain unauthorized access

    Passive Online Attacks: Man-in-the-Middle and Replay Attack

    • MITM attack: Attacker intercepts communication channels between victim and server.
    • Information is extracted during this process
    • In replay attacks, packets and authentication tokens are captured and replayed to gain access

    Offline Attack: Rainbow Table Attack

    • Precomputed table storing password hashes to quickly decipher passwords.
    • Hash values compared with precomputed hashes to recover passwords

    How to Defend against Password Cracking

    • Enable information security audits
    • Use unique passwords during password change
    • Avoid sharing passwords
    • Never use easily guessable/dictionary passwords
    • Avoid cleartext and protocols with weak encryption
    • Implement complex password change policy, eg., 30 days
    • Keep passwords in secure locations
    • Do not use default passwords

    How to Defend against Password Cracking (Cont'd)

    • Use 8-12 alphanumeric characters
    • Use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols
    • Ensure apps don't save passwords in memory or disk
    • Employ a random string (salt) for password encryption
    • Enable SYSKEY for strong password encryption in SAM database
    • Avoid sensitive passwords like DOB, names, etc.
    • Monitor server logs for brute-force attacks
    • Lock out accounts subject to too many incorrect guesses

    Privilege Escalation

    • Gaining administrative privileges on a network (non-admin account) after initial access
    • Exploits design flaws, programming errors, network configuration issues
    • Allows attackers to gain administrative access for critical/sensitive data, file deletions, malicious program installation

    How to Defend Against Privilege Escalation

    • Restrict interactive logon privileges
    • Employ encryption to protect data.
    • Minimize the amount of code that runs with privileges
    • Use multi-factor authentication and authorization
    • Implement services with reduced privileges
    • Use debugging tools for bounds checkers
    • Thoroughly test application code, eg., errors and bugs
    • Implement privilege separation methodology to limit errors/bugs
    • Patch/update systems regularly

    Executing Applications

    • Attackers execute various malicious applications to gain access to systems resources
    • Techniques include keyloggers, spywares, backdoors, and crackers remotely in victim machines
    • These programs may gather information, exploit vulnerabilities, gain access to system resources, and enable access to system resources

    Keyloggers

    • Keyloggers are programs/hardware devices that monitor keystrokes, logging onto files or transmitted to a remote location
    • Keyloggers gather information like emails, passwords, credit card numbers, etc
    • Legitimate uses include office/industrial monitoring
    • Keyloggers can target chat sessions, IRC, and instant messaging

    How to Defend Against Keyloggers

    • Use pop-up blockers
    • Install up-to-date antivirus/anti-spyware
    • Install firewall software with anti-keylogging features
    • Recognize and avoid phishing emails
    • Use strong passwords, frequently changed, for various online accounts
    • Avoid opening junk/doubtful emails

    Spyware

    • Spyware programs record user activities and interactions, sending information to remote attackers
    • Hides processes, files to avoid detection/removal
    • Similar to Trojan horses (malicious programs) which are bundled in free software/downloads
    • Collects information like email addresses, passwords, credit card numbers, sensitive details, etc
    • Attacker: installs spyware on victim system and receives information.
    • Victim: unaware of spyware activities. This may compromise user credentials.

    How to Defend Against Spyware

    • Avoid potentially compromised computer systems
    • Be wary of suspicious emails and websites.
    • Update software/firewalls regularly
    • Regularly check task manager and config manager reports
    • Install and use anti-spyware software
    • Carefully read privacy policies and license agreements before downloading or installing applications
    • Avoid personal information input to unverified systems

    Rootkits

    • Rootkits hide their presence and attackers' malicious activity within systems
    • Replaces OS calls/utilities with their own modified versions
    • Compromises target system security
    • Typically includes backdoors, DDoS programs, packet sniffers, log-wiping utilities, and more

    Steganography

    • Steganography is hiding a secret message within an ordinary message
    • Utilizing graphics/images as primary method to conceal data

    Covering Tracks

    • Intrusive users try to hide their activities on the compromised system.
    • Methods include disabling auditing, clearing logs, and manipulating logs to avoid detection

    Disabling Auditing

    • Intruders disable auditing immediately after gaining administrator privileges
    • They then restore auditing using auditpol.exe if needed
    • This method is to avoid tracking.

    Clearing Logs

    • Attackers use clearlogs.exe utility to erase security, system, and application logs.
    • Metasploit: attacker can use the Metasploit's meterpreter shell to wipe out all logs via command prompt.

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