Intermediate Ethical Hacking & Pen Testing Quiz

Question 1
What distinguishes ethical hacking from malicious hacking?

(A) It uses similar methods to malicious hacking, only with benign intentions.

(B) It involves unauthorized access to systems for personal gain.

(C) Ethical hacking is conducted with explicit permission and a goal to improve security.

(D) It disregards legal and ethical boundaries in pursuit of vulnerabilities.

Question 2
What is the primary purpose of penetration testing?

(A) To damage system security for experimental purposes.

(B) To identify vulnerabilities and recommend remediation measures by simulating an attacker’s approach.

(C) To exploit vulnerabilities for personal financial benefit.

(D) To conduct simulated attacks without any intention of sharing improvement strategies.

Question 3
Which of the following is a common phase in a penetration testing lifecycle?

(A) Randomized attack without any structured approach.

(B) Planning and reconnaissance to understand the target environment.

(C) Immediate exploitation without a systematic assessment.

(D) Reconnaissance without any further analysis or follow-up.

Question 4
Which tool type is typically used to identify vulnerabilities in a system during a penetration test?

(A) An encryption analyzer that focuses on cipher strengths.

(B) A port scanner to single-handedly verify vulnerabilities without deeper analysis.

(C) Manual code auditing without any specialized tools.

(D) An automated vulnerability scanner that checks for known weaknesses.

Question 5
In penetration testing, what is the significance of a zero-day vulnerability?

(A) It is a vulnerability that has been publicly disclosed weeks before testing.

(B) It is always a false positive found during testing.

(C) It is a vulnerability that is immediately patched upon discovery.

(D) It is a vulnerability not known to the vendor and for which no patch is available.

Question 6
Which legal document allows penetration testers to operate without legal repercussions?

(A) A signed engagement letter or contract detailing the scope of testing.

(B) A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) on its own.

(C) A verbal agreement over the phone.

(D) An assumed implicit permission from the IT staff.

Question 7
Why is social engineering often included in a comprehensive penetration test?

(A) Because it relies solely on exploiting software vulnerabilities.

(B) Because it involves hacking computers directly without using technical methods.

(C) Because it is merely a theoretical exercise and does not impact real security outcomes.

(D) Because it tests human vulnerabilities, which are often the weakest link in security.

Question 8
Which scenario best illustrates a responsible disclosure process after a penetration test?

(A) Selling the discovered vulnerabilities to third parties without notifying the organization.

(B) Withholding vulnerability details from management to avoid causing panic.

(C) Publicly posting the identified vulnerabilities on social media immediately.

(D) Reporting all findings, including vulnerabilities with remediation recommendations, to the organization’s management.

Question 9
What is the role of a penetration tester during the post-assessment phase?

(A) To leave the vulnerabilities unaddressed for possible future exploitation.

(B) To simply list exploited vulnerabilities without offering any solutions.

(C) To attribute discovered weaknesses solely to the IT staff's errors.

(D) To provide a detailed report along with remediation recommendations for the vulnerabilities found.

Question 10
How should a penetration tester handle the discovery of sensitive data during an engagement?

(A) Document the finding and securely report it to the client along with supporting evidence.

(B) Publicly disclose the sensitive data to highlight security issues.

(C) Immediately discuss the data with external vendors as a response measure.

(D) Retain the sensitive data for personal study without informing the client.

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