An external contractor, who has not been given information about the software or network architecture, is conducting a penetration test.
Which of the following BEST describes the test being performed?
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A. B. C. D.A.
The type of penetration test being performed by an external contractor who has not been given information about the software or network architecture is a black box test, which is the best answer.
A black box penetration test is an approach that simulates the methods used by real-world attackers to assess the security of a system or network. In this type of test, the tester has no prior knowledge or access to the internal workings of the system or network being tested, and thus must rely on techniques such as scanning, enumeration, and exploitation to discover vulnerabilities.
The term "black box" is used to refer to the lack of knowledge about the internal workings of the system, as the tester only has access to the inputs and outputs of the system or network. The test is designed to determine how well the system or network can withstand attacks from an external attacker with no prior knowledge of the system.
In contrast, a white box test is conducted with complete knowledge of the system's internal workings, including source code, network diagrams, and other technical details. White box testing is often performed by internal security teams or developers to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers.
Passive reconnaissance refers to the practice of gathering information about a target system or network without actively engaging with it, such as through social engineering or data mining. It is not a type of penetration testing.
Vulnerability scanning involves automated tools that scan for known vulnerabilities in a system or network. While it may be part of a larger penetration testing effort, vulnerability scanning alone is not considered a penetration test.
Therefore, the correct answer is A. Black box.