I would use passive reconnaissance as this pertains to information gathering. ). What application and tools can be use to perform this initial reconnaissance and probing step? Google is a major tool in most hackers initial first step. But you can use Map MAP, Scanned and Perpetrate. 4). How can social engineering be used to gather information or data about the organization’s IT infrastructure? Social Engineering is one of the number one ways a network is easily infiltrated.
They major forms of this are Pushing, baiting and diversion theft. 5). What does the Enumeration step of the five (5) step hacking process entail and how is it vital to the hacker’s objective? Enumeration is the same as scanning a system for vulnerabilities that can be used to attack the system itself. This is vital to any hacker’s object since it reveals the information needed to access the target. 6). Explain how an attacker will avoid being detected following a successful penetration attack?
To avoid detection a good hacker will always cover their tracks. This is done by purging any information in the system that could even minutely show the trace that someone was their. You must be careful when doing this because sometimes its not what’s there that gets the hacker busted but what wasn’t. 7). What method does an attacker use to regain access to an already penetrated system? Any good hacker will always leave some sort of a backdoor into the system. This allows for easy access at will. 8).
As a security professional you have been asked to perform an intrusive penetration test which involves cracking into the organization’s WI-AN for a company. While performing this task, you are able to retrieve the authentication key. Should you use this and continue testing, or stop here and report your findings to the client? Stop here and report it. 9). Which NIST standards document encompasses security testing and entreating testing? NIST 800-42 Guideline on Network Security testing. 10). According to the NIST document, what are the four phases of penetration testing?
Planning, Discovery, Attack, Reporting. 11). Why would an organization want to conduct an internal penetration testing? One of the main reasons is to find vulnerabilities and fix them before an attacker does. 12). What constitutes a situation in which a penetration tester should not compromise or access a system as part of a controlled penetration test? IP adder or password 13). Why would an organization hire an outside consulting firm to perform an intrusive penetration test without the IT department’s knowledge?
To see if the IT department is doing their jobs. 14). How does a web application penetration test differ from a network penetration test? 15). Explain both the information systems security practitioner and hacker perspectives for performing a penetration test. Security issues uncovered through the penetration test are presented to the system’s owner. Effective penetration tests will couple this information with an accurate assessment of the potential impacts to the organization and outline a range of technical and procedural countermeasures to reduce risks
