Penetration Testing for Physical Access Control Systems | Automating Vulnerability Identification | CompTIA PT0-001 Exam

Automating Vulnerability Identification for Physical Access Control Systems

Question

A penetration tester is looking for a vulnerability that enables attackers to open doors via a specialized TCP service that is used for a physical access control system.

The service exists on more than 100 different hosts, so the tester would like to automate the assessment.

Identification requires the penetration tester to: -> Have a full TCP connection -> Send a 'hello' payload -> Walt for a response -> Send a string of characters longer than 16 bytes Which of the following approaches would BEST support the objective?

Answers

Explanations

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A. B. C. D.

D.

Based on the provided information, the penetration tester is looking for a vulnerability that can be exploited through a specialized TCP service used for a physical access control system. The service exists on over 100 hosts, and the tester wants to automate the assessment process.

The identification process requires the tester to establish a full TCP connection, send a 'hello' payload, wait for a response, and then send a string of characters longer than 16 bytes. To achieve this, the tester must use a tool or approach that can automate the identification process for all the 100 hosts.

A. Run nmap "Pn "sV "script vuln <IP address>. This approach uses Nmap, which is a popular tool for network exploration and security auditing. The command "nmap -Pn -sV --script vuln <IP address>" is used to perform vulnerability scanning. However, it is not the best approach for this scenario since it does not allow the penetration tester to send a 'hello' payload and wait for a response before sending the long string of characters.

B. Employ an OpenVAS simple scan against the TCP port of the host. This approach involves using OpenVAS, which is a vulnerability scanner that can automate the identification process. The OpenVAS simple scan can check for the vulnerability on all the 100 hosts, and it can send the 'hello' payload, wait for a response, and send the long string of characters. However, it may not provide the full TCP connection required by the tester, and there is no guarantee that it will identify the vulnerability.

C. Create a script in the Lua language and use it with NS. This approach requires the creation of a script in the Lua language that can automate the identification process for all the 100 hosts. The script will establish a full TCP connection, send the 'hello' payload, wait for a response, and then send the long string of characters. It can be used with NS (Nmap Scripting Engine), which is a powerful tool for automating vulnerability scanning. However, creating a script in the Lua language requires advanced scripting skills, which may not be possessed by the tester.

D. Perform a credentialed scan with Nessus. This approach involves using Nessus, which is a vulnerability scanner that can perform a credentialed scan on all the 100 hosts. A credentialed scan means that Nessus will use valid credentials to log in to the hosts, which will allow it to identify vulnerabilities that are not visible from the network. However, this approach does not involve sending a 'hello' payload and waiting for a response before sending the long string of characters, which is a requirement for this scenario.

In conclusion, the best approach for the penetration tester to automate the identification process for the vulnerability is B. Employ an OpenVAS simple scan against the TCP port of the host.