Penetration testing (also called pen testing) is the practice of testing a computer system, network, or Web application to find vulnerabilities that an attacker could exploit.
Which of the following areas can be exploited in a penetration test? Each correct answer represents a complete solution.
Choose all that apply.
Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer
A. B. C. D. E. F. G.ABCDEG.
Penetration testing is a simulated attack on a computer system, network, or application to find vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors that could be exploited by attackers. A successful penetration test aims to identify vulnerabilities before attackers can take advantage of them and to provide recommendations to improve the security of the system.
Here is a detailed explanation of the areas that can be exploited in a penetration test:
A. Social engineering: This is a technique used to manipulate people into divulging sensitive information or performing actions that can compromise the security of a system. Social engineering attacks can be conducted via email, phone, or physical means, and they can be used to gain unauthorized access to a system or steal sensitive information.
B. File and directory permissions: File and directory permissions determine who can access, modify, or execute files and directories on a system. Misconfigured file and directory permissions can allow unauthorized access to sensitive information or allow attackers to execute malicious code.
C. Buffer overflows: A buffer overflow occurs when an application attempts to store more data in a buffer than it can hold, causing the data to overflow into adjacent memory locations. Attackers can exploit buffer overflows to execute malicious code, crash the application, or gain unauthorized access to a system.
D. Kernel flaws: The kernel is the core component of an operating system that manages system resources and provides services to applications. Kernel flaws can be exploited to gain privileged access to a system or to execute malicious code.
E. Race conditions: A race condition occurs when two or more processes or threads access a shared resource at the same time, resulting in unpredictable behavior. Attackers can exploit race conditions to execute malicious code or gain unauthorized access to a system.
F. Information system architectures: The architecture of a system defines its components, their relationships, and their interactions. Vulnerabilities in the architecture of a system can be exploited to gain unauthorized access or to execute malicious code.
G. Trojan horses: A Trojan horse is a type of malware that appears to be a legitimate program but has hidden malicious functionality. Attackers can use Trojan horses to gain unauthorized access to a system, steal sensitive information, or execute malicious code.
In conclusion, all of the options provided can be exploited in a penetration test, which is why a comprehensive approach that covers all aspects of a system's security is necessary to ensure that all vulnerabilities are identified and addressed.