Which of the following risks should the tester use to leverage an attack as the next step in the security assessment?

While conducting a reconnaissance activity, a penetration tester extracts the following information:

Emails: – [email protected] – [email protected] – [email protected]

Which of the following risks should the tester use to leverage an attack as the next step in the security assessment?
A . Unauthorized access to the network
B . Exposure of sensitive servers to the internet
C . Likelihood of SQL injection attacks
D . Indication of a data breach in the company

View Answer

Answer: A

Explanation:

When a penetration tester identifies email addresses during reconnaissance, the most immediate risk to leverage for an attack is unauthorized access to the network.

Here’s why: Phishing Attacks:

Email addresses are often used to conduct phishing attacks. By crafting a convincing email, an attacker can trick the recipient into revealing their login credentials or downloading malicious software, thereby gaining unauthorized access to the network. Spear Phishing:

With specific email addresses (like [email protected]), attackers can perform spear phishing, targeting key individuals within the organization to gain access to more sensitive parts of the network.

Comparison with Other Risks:

Exposure of sensitive servers to the internet (B): This is unrelated to the email addresses and more about network configuration.

Likelihood of SQL injection attacks (C): SQL injection targets web applications and databases, not email addresses.

Indication of a data breach in the company (D): The presence of email addresses alone does not indicate a data breach.

Email addresses are a starting point for phishing attacks, making unauthorized access to the network the most relevant risk.