A penetration tester is conducting a vulnerability scan. The tester wants to see any vulnerabilities that may be visible from outside of the organization. Which of the following scans should the penetration tester perform?
Correct Answer:
C
To see any vulnerabilities that may be visible from outside of the organization, the penetration tester should perform an unauthenticated scan.
✑ Unauthenticated Scan:
✑ Comparison with Other Scans:
✑ Pentest References:
By performing an unauthenticated scan, the penetration tester can identify vulnerabilities that an external attacker could exploit without needing any credentials or internal access.
=================
A penetration tester needs to test a very large number of URLs for public access. Given the following code snippet:
1 import requests
2 import pathlib
3
4 for url in pathlib.Path("urls.txt").read_text().split("n"):
5 response = requests.get(url) 6 if response.status == 401:
7 print("URL accessible")
Which of the following changes is required?
Correct Answer:
A
✑ Script Analysis:
✑ Error Identification:
✑ Correct Condition:
✑ Corrected Script:
Pentest References:
✑ In penetration testing, checking the accessibility of multiple URLs is a common task, often part of reconnaissance. Identifying publicly accessible resources can reveal potential entry points for further testing.
✑ The requests library in Python is widely used for making HTTP requests and handling responses. Understanding HTTP status codes is crucial for correctly interpreting the results of these requests.
By changing the condition to check for a 200 status code, the script will correctly identify and print URLs that are publicly accessible.
=================
While conducting a peer review for a recent assessment, a penetration tester finds the debugging mode is still enabled for the production system. Which of the following is most likely responsible for this observation?
Correct Answer:
A
✑ Debugging Mode:
✑ Common Causes:
✑ Best Practices:
✑ References from Pentesting Literature: References:
✑ Penetration Testing - A Hands-on Introduction to Hacking
✑ HTB Official Writeups
=================
A penetration tester has found a web application that is running on a cloud virtual machine instance. Vulnerability scans show a potential SSRF for the same application URL path with an injectable parameter. Which of the following commands should the tester run to successfully test for secrets exposure exploitability?
Correct Answer:
A
In a cloud environment, testing for Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerabilities involves attempting to access metadata services. Here??s why the specified command is appropriate:
✑ Accessing Cloud Metadata Service:
✑ Comparison with Other Commands:
Using curl
=================
A penetration tester wants to use multiple TTPs to assess the reactions (alerted, blocked, and others) by the client??s current security tools. The threat-modeling team indicates the TTPs in the list might affect their internal systems and servers. Which of the following actions would the tester most likely take?
Correct Answer:
A
BAS (Breach and Attack Simulation) tools are specifically designed to emulate multiple TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) used by adversaries. These tools can simulate various attack vectors in a controlled manner to test the effectiveness of an organization's security defenses and response mechanisms. Here??s why option A is the best choice:
✑ Controlled Testing Environment: BAS tools provide a controlled environment
where multiple TTPs can be tested without causing unintended damage to the internal systems and servers. This is critical when the threat-modeling team indicates potential impacts on internal systems.
✑ Comprehensive Coverage: BAS tools are designed to cover a wide range of TTPs,
allowing the penetration tester to simulate various attack scenarios. This helps in assessing the reactions (alerted, blocked, and others) by the client's security tools comprehensively.
✑ Feedback and Reporting: These tools provide detailed feedback and reporting on
the effectiveness of the security measures in place, including which TTPs were detected, blocked, or went unnoticed. This information is invaluable for the threat- modeling team to understand the current security posture and areas for improvement.
References from Pentest:
✑ Anubis HTB: This write-up highlights the importance of using controlled tools and methods for testing security mechanisms. BAS tools align with this approach by
providing a controlled and systematic way to assess security defenses.
✑ Forge HTB: Emphasizes the use of various testing tools and techniques to simulate real-world attacks and measure the effectiveness of security controls. BAS tools are mentioned as a method to ensure comprehensive coverage and minimal risk to internal systems.
Conclusion:
Using a BAS tool to test multiple TTPs allows for a thorough and controlled assessment of the client's security tools' effectiveness. This approach ensures that the testing is systematic, comprehensive, and minimally disruptive, making it the best choice.
=================
