Pass the ECCouncil CEH v13 312-50v13 Questions and answers with ValidTests

HTTP cookies may store authentication tokens, allowing users to remain logged in. If a browser retains cookies after closing, an attacker with access to the device could hijack active sessions.

Automatically deleting cookies upon termination reduces the window of opportunity for session hijacking.

Reference – CEH v13 Official Study Guide:

Module 11: Hacking Web Applications

Topic: Session Management

Quote:

“Session hijacking exploits persistent cookies or session IDs stored in browsers. Enforcing cookie deletion helps prevent this attack.”

Incorrect Options:

A. SQL databases are unrelated to browser cookies.

C. Browser cookies don’t store OS-level passwords.

D. This may be a secondary concern, but not the primary mitigation.

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In CEH v13 Module 11: Hacking Wireless Networks, WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is discussed as a vulnerable configuration that can be exploited using tools like Reaver and wash.

wash is a command-line utility used to detect WPS-enabled Access Points.

It provides information about:

Whether WPS is enabled or locked.

Signal strength, BSSID, channel, etc.

Very useful before attempting WPS PIN attacks.

Option Clarifications:

B. ntptrace: Used for querying NTP servers, not wireless networks.

C. macof: Part of dsniff suite; floods network with MAC addresses (DoS tool).

D. net view: Windows command for listing network shares, not for wireless or WPS.

Correct answer is A. wash.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_filtering

MAC filtering is a security method based on access control. Each address is assigned a 48-bit address, which is used to determine whether we can access a network or not. It helps in listing a set of allowed devices that you need on your Wi-Fi and the list of denied devices that you don’t want on your Wi-Fi. It helps in preventing unwanted access to the network. In a way, we can blacklist or white list certain computers based on their MAC address. We can configure the filter to allow connection only to those devices included in the white list. White lists provide greater security than blacklists because the router grants access only to selected devices.

It is used on enterprise wireless networks having multiple access points to prevent clients from communicating with each other. The access point can be configured only to allow clients to talk to the default gateway, but not other wireless clients. It increases the efficiency of access to a network.

The router allows configuring a list of allowed MAC addresses in its web interface, allowing you to choose which devices can connect to your network. The router has several functions designed to improve the network's security, but not all are useful. Media access control may seem advantageous, but there are certain flaws.

On a wireless network, the device with the proper credentials such as SSID and password can authenticate with the router and join the network, which gets an IP address and access to the internet and any shared resources.

MAC address filtering adds an extra layer of security that checks the device’s MAC address against a list of agreed addresses. If the client’s address matches one on the router’s list, access is granted; otherwise, it doesn’t join the network.

TCP port 21 is used by the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), which is an unencrypted protocol. To detect if unencrypted file transfers are taking place, you can apply the Wireshark display filter:

tcp.port == 21

This will show all traffic to and from FTP servers. Since FTP transmits usernames, passwords, and data in clear text, its use would violate the company’s policy.

CEH v13 states:

“FTP (Port 21) is a cleartext protocol vulnerable to sniffing. To enforce secure communication, companies often transition to SFTP (over SSH, port 22) or FTPS (FTP over TLS/SSL).”

Incorrect Options:

B. Port 23 is used for Telnet, not FTP.

C. Combining FTP (21) and SSH/SFTP (22) would include encrypted traffic, which is not what you're trying to isolate.

D. tcp.port != 21 filters out FTP traffic, which is the opposite of the intended goal.

Reference – CEH v13 Guide:

Module 01: Introduction to Ethical Hacking

Subsection: Sniffing and Cleartext Protocols

Wireshark iLab: Identifying FTP Traffic

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presentation_layer

In the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking, the presentation layer is layer 6 and serves as the data translator for the network. It is sometimes called the syntax layer. The presentation layer is responsible for the formatting and delivery of information to the application layer for further processing or display.

Encryption is typically done at this level too, although it can be done on the application, session, transport, or network layers, each having its own advantages and disadvantages. Decryption is also handled at the presentation layer. For example, when logging on to bank account sites the presentation layer will decrypt the data as it is received.

https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/pci_security/maintaining_payment_security

Build and Maintain a Secure Network

1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data.

2. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.

Protect Cardholder Data

3. Protect stored cardholder data.

4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks.

Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program

5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software or programs.

6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications.

Implement Strong Access Control Measures

7. Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know.

8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access.

9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data.

Regularly Monitor and Test Networks

10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data.

11. Regularly test security systems and processes.

Maintain an Information Security Policy

12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security for employees and contractors.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

A covert channel is any communication path that allows data to be transferred in violation of a system’s security policy. It’s commonly used by malware or Trojans to exfiltrate data or send commands undetected.

Examples include:

Encoding data in TCP headers (unused bits)

Timing of packets (timing channel)

Use of legitimate protocols to piggyback malicious traffic

From CEH v13 Courseware:

Module 6: Malware Threats → Trojans and Covert Channels

Ettercap is a comprehensive MITM attack tool that supports live traffic interception and content injection. It can modify HTTP streams in real time and inject malicious payloads, such as JavaScript or applets, into web traffic.

Reference – CEH v13 Official Study Guide:

Module 8: Sniffing

Quote:

“Ettercap allows attackers to intercept, analyze, and alter data on the fly, including injecting malicious content like Java applets in HTTP sessions during MITM attacks.”

Incorrect Options Explained:

A & D. Wireshark and Tcpdump are passive sniffers with no injection capability.

C. Aircrack-ng is for Wi-Fi key cracking, not traffic manipulation.

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If the token itself (e.g., hardware key or smartcard) performs offline verification of the PIN, it can be physically attacked. An attacker can:

Steal the token

Try all possible PIN combinations (0000–9999)

Bypass limits if no lockout mechanisms exist

This is a brute-force attack — the attacker tries every combination until the correct one is found.

From CEH v13 Courseware:

Module 6: Malware and Authentication

Module 20: Identity and Access Management

Incorrect Options:

A: Birthday attacks are related to hash collisions.

C: MITM involves intercepting communication, not offline brute-force.

D: Smurf is a DoS attack, not related to token/PIN systems.

A Kernel-level rootkit operates at the core of the operating system (OS kernel), enabling the attacker to:

Modify or replace kernel code

Load malicious kernel modules

Hide files, processes, and backdoors at a level that is difficult for standard security tools to detect

According to CEH v13:

Kernel-mode rootkits are highly stealthy and dangerous because they run with the highest privileges.

These rootkits modify system calls and memory structures in the kernel space to conceal malicious activity.

Incorrect Options:

A. User-mode rootkits operate at the application layer and are less stealthy than kernel-level rootkits.

B. Library-level rootkits manipulate standard libraries (like libc) to intercept calls.

D. Hypervisor-level rootkits run beneath the OS (e.g., via virtualization) and are extremely rare and complex.

Reference – CEH v13 Official Courseware:

Module 06: Malware Threats

Section: “Types of Rootkits”

Subsection: “Kernel-Mode Rootkits vs. User-Mode Rootkits”

Dynamic ARP inspection (DAI) protects switching devices against Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) packet spoofing (also known as ARP poisoning or ARP cache poisoning).

DAI inspects ARPs on the LAN and uses the information in the DHCP snooping database on the switch to validate ARP packets and to protect against ARP spoofing. ARP requests and replies are compared against entries in the DHCP snooping database, and filtering decisions are made based on the results of those comparisons. When an attacker tries to use a forged ARP packet to spoof an address, the switch compares the address with entries in the database. If the media access control (MAC) address or IP address in the ARP packet does not match a valid entry in the DHCP snooping database, the packet is dropped.

MX (Mail Exchange) records in DNS define the mail servers responsible for receiving email for a domain. Each MX record has a priority value.

Important concept:

A lower number indicates a higher priority.

Email servers attempt delivery to the mail server with the lowest priority first.

For example:

If MX records are:

10 mail1.example.com

20 mail2.example.com

Then mail1 will be tried first. If it fails, mail2 will be used.

So the statement “MX record priority increases as the number increases” is false.

Analyze Web Applications: Identify Files and Directories - enumerate applications, as well as hidden directories and files of the web application hosted on the web server. Tools such as ☆Gobuster is directory scanner that allows attackers to perform fast-paced enumeration of hidden files and directories of a target web application. # gobuster -u -w common.txt (wordlist) (P.1849/1833)

The best measure to prevent similar attacks without overly restricting the use of personal devices is to conduct regular cybersecurity awareness training, focusing on phishing attacks. Cybersecurity awareness training is a process of educating and empowering employees on the best practices and behaviors to protect themselves and the organization from cyber threats, such as phishing, malware, ransomware, or data breaches. Cybersecurity awareness training can help the organization mitigate the risk of phishing incidents by providing the following benefits12:

It can increase the knowledge and skills of employees on how to identify and avoid phishing emails, messages, or links, such as by checking the sender, the subject, the content, the attachments, and the URL of the message, and by verifying the legitimacy and authenticity of the message before responding or clicking.

It can enhance the attitude and culture of employees on the importance and responsibility of cybersecurity, such as by encouraging them to report any suspicious or malicious activity, to follow the security policies and guidelines, and to seek help or guidance when in doubt or trouble.

It can reduce the human error and negligence that are often the main causes of phishing incidents, such as by reminding employees to update their devices and applications, to use strong and unique passwords, to enable multi-factor authentication, and to backup their data regularly.

The other options are not as optimal as option D for the following reasons:

A. Provide employees with corporate-owned devices for work-related tasks: This option is not feasible because it contradicts the BYOD policy, which allows employees to use their personal devices for work-related tasks. Providing employees with corporate-owned devices would require the organization to incur additional costs and resources, such as purchasing, maintaining, and securing the devices, as well as training and supporting the employees on how to use them. Moreover, providing employees with corporate-owned devices would not necessarily prevent phishing incidents, as the devices could still be compromised by phishing emails, messages, or links, unless the organization implements strict security controls and policies on the devices, which may limit the user autonomy and productivity3.

B. Implement a mobile device management solution that restricts the installation of non-approved applications: This option is not desirable because it violates the user autonomy and privacy under the BYOD policy, which allows employees to use their personal devices for both personal and professional purposes. Implementing a mobile device management solution that restricts the installation of non-approved applications would require the organization to monitor and control the devices of the employees, which may raise legal and ethical issues, such as data ownership, consent, and compliance. Furthermore, implementing a mobile device management solution that restricts the installation of non-approved applications would not completely prevent phishing incidents, as the employees could still receive phishing emails, messages, or links through the approved applications, unless the organization implements strict security controls and policies on the applications, which may affect the user experience and functionality4.

C. Require all employee devices to use a company-provided VPN for internet access: This option is not sufficient because it does not address the root cause of phishing incidents, which is the human factor. Requiring all employee devices to use a company-provided VPN for internet access would provide the organization with some benefits, such as encrypting the network traffic, hiding the IP address, and bypassing geo-restrictions. However, requiring all employee devices to use a company-provided VPN for internet access would not prevent phishing incidents, as the employees could still fall victim to phishing emails, messages, or links that lure them to malicious websites or applications, unless the organization implements strict security controls and policies on the VPN, which may affect the network performance and reliability.