1What is the primary difference between a 'Black Hat' hacker and a 'White Hat' hacker?
A.The age of the hacker
B.The operating system used
C.Authorization and intent
D.Technical skill level
Correct Answer: Authorization and intent
Explanation:
White Hat hackers hack with permission to improve security (defensive), while Black Hat hackers hack without permission for malicious intent (offensive).
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2Which term refers to the pre-computer era practice of manipulating telephone networks?
A.Phishing
B.Sniffing
C.Spoofing
D.Phreaking
Correct Answer: Phreaking
Explanation:
Phreaking is the action of manipulating the telephone system, which was a precursor to modern computer hacking.
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3Which phase of the ethical hacking methodology involves gathering information about a target without directly interacting with it?
A.Active Scanning
B.Gaining Access
C.Passive Reconnaissance
D.Enumeration
Correct Answer: Passive Reconnaissance
Explanation:
Passive reconnaissance involves collecting data from public sources (like social media or WHOIS) without engaging the target system directly.
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4In the context of hacking methodologies, what is the primary goal of 'Clearing Tracks'?
A.To install a backdoor
B.To crash the system
C.To avoid detection and maintain access
D.To steal data
Correct Answer: To avoid detection and maintain access
Explanation:
Clearing tracks involves deleting logs and removing evidence of the intrusion to prevent security administrators from realizing a breach occurred.
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5Which type of penetration testing is performed with no prior knowledge of the target system?
A.Gray Box
B.Crystal Box
C.Black Box
D.White Box
Correct Answer: Black Box
Explanation:
Black Box testing simulates an external attack where the tester has no prior knowledge of the internal network or systems.
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6What is the specific legal requirement that distinguishes an ethical hacker from a malicious hacker?
A.A Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification
B.Written permission from the owner
C.Using Linux exclusively
D.Only hacking during business hours
Correct Answer: Written permission from the owner
Explanation:
The defining legal characteristic of ethical hacking is having explicit, written authorization from the system owner to test the security.
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7Which OSI model layer is primarily responsible for logical addressing and routing?
A.Layer 4 (Transport)
B.Layer 7 (Application)
C.Layer 3 (Network)
D.Layer 2 (Data Link)
Correct Answer: Layer 3 (Network)
Explanation:
The Network layer (Layer 3) handles logical addressing (IP addresses) and routing packets across different networks.
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8Which protocol is connection-oriented and ensures reliable data delivery?
A.ICMP
B.UDP
C.TCP
D.IP
Correct Answer: TCP
Explanation:
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) establishes a connection via a handshake and guarantees the delivery and order of data packets.
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9Which TCP/IP port is the default for unencrypted web traffic (HTTP)?
A.Port 80
B.Port 443
C.Port 22
D.Port 21
Correct Answer: Port 80
Explanation:
Port 80 is the standard port assigned to HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) for unencrypted web pages.
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10Which port would an administrator typically use for secure remote command-line access to a Linux server?
A.Port 25 (SMTP)
B.Port 22 (SSH)
C.Port 23 (Telnet)
D.Port 110 (POP3)
Correct Answer: Port 22 (SSH)
Explanation:
SSH (Secure Shell) uses Port 22 and provides an encrypted channel for remote administration, unlike the insecure Telnet.
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11What is the primary function of the Domain Name System (DNS) running on Port 53?
A.Sending emails
B.Resolving domain names to IP addresses
C.Transferring files
D.Assigning IP addresses to devices
Correct Answer: Resolving domain names to IP addresses
Explanation:
DNS translates human-readable domain names (like www.google.com) into machine-readable IP addresses.
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12How does a network switch differ from a network hub?
A.A switch cannot connect multiple devices.
B.A switch broadcasts data to all ports.
C.A switch sends data only to the specific recipient MAC address.
D.A switch operates at Layer 3.
Correct Answer: A switch sends data only to the specific recipient MAC address.
Explanation:
Unlike a hub, which broadcasts traffic to all ports, a switch uses MAC addresses to forward data only to the intended destination device.
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13What is a 'broadcast domain'?
A.A group of devices that receive broadcast frames originating from any device in the group
B.A domain used for TV broadcasting
C.A specific IP address range for servers
D.The range of a WiFi signal
Correct Answer: A group of devices that receive broadcast frames originating from any device in the group
Explanation:
A broadcast domain is a logical division of a computer network wherein all nodes can reach each other by broadcast at the data link layer.
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14What is the primary role of a Proxy Server?
A.To physically connect cables
B.To act as an intermediary between a client and a server
C.To route packets between different networks
D.To generate encryption keys
Correct Answer: To act as an intermediary between a client and a server
Explanation:
A proxy server sits between a client and the internet, forwarding requests and responses, often for anonymity, caching, or filtering.
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15Which type of firewall filters traffic based on source, destination, port, and protocol without tracking the state of connections?
A.Stateful Inspection Firewall
B.Application Gateway
C.Packet Filtering Firewall
D.Next-Generation Firewall
Correct Answer: Packet Filtering Firewall
Explanation:
Packet filtering firewalls are stateless; they inspect headers of individual packets against a rule set without tracking the context of the connection.
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16What is a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in network security?
A.A network segment with no security
B.A zone where military software is tested
C.A sub-network that exposes external-facing services to an untrusted network
D.An encrypted tunnel
Correct Answer: A sub-network that exposes external-facing services to an untrusted network
Explanation:
A DMZ acts as a buffer zone between the internal secure network and the internet, hosting public services like web servers.
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17Which file system is native to the Windows Operating System?
A.APFS
B.NTFS
C.HFS+
D.EXT4
Correct Answer: NTFS
Explanation:
NTFS (New Technology File System) is the proprietary file system developed by Microsoft for Windows.
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18The Android operating system is based on which kernel?
A.Windows NT
B.Darwin
C.Linux Kernel
D.Hybrid Kernel
Correct Answer: Linux Kernel
Explanation:
Android is built on top of a modified version of the Linux kernel.
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19In Linux, which user account has unrestricted access to all commands and files?
A.System
B.Admin
C.SuperUser
D.Root
Correct Answer: Root
Explanation:
The 'root' user in Linux is the superuser account that has full administrative privileges over the entire system.
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20Which component in Windows stores low-level settings for the OS and installed applications?
A.The Registry
B.Kernel
C.System32
D.Active Directory
Correct Answer: The Registry
Explanation:
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options for the operating system and low-level system components.
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21The Caesar Cipher is an example of which type of cryptography?
A.Asymmetric Encryption
B.Hashing
C.Transposition Cipher
D.Substitution Cipher
Correct Answer: Substitution Cipher
Explanation:
The Caesar Cipher shifts letters by a fixed number of positions, substituting one character for another.
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22Which machine was used by the Germans in WWII for encryption and famously broken by Alan Turing?
A.The Colossus
B.The Sigaba
C.The Enigma
D.The Lorenz
Correct Answer: The Enigma
Explanation:
The Enigma machine was an electro-mechanical rotor cipher machine used by Nazi Germany for encrypting secret messages.
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23In Symmetric Cryptography, how many keys are used for the encryption and decryption process?
A.One
B.Two
C.Three
D.Four
Correct Answer: One
Explanation:
Symmetric cryptography uses a single shared key for both encrypting the plaintext and decrypting the ciphertext.
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24Which of the following is a symmetric encryption algorithm?
A.ECC
B.Diffie-Hellman
C.AES
D.RSA
Correct Answer: AES
Explanation:
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a symmetric block cipher. RSA, ECC, and Diffie-Hellman are asymmetric.
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25What is a major disadvantage of Symmetric Cryptography?
A.It increases file size.
B.Key distribution and sharing is difficult.
C.It cannot be implemented on mobile devices.
D.It is slower than asymmetric cryptography.
Correct Answer: Key distribution and sharing is difficult.
Explanation:
Since the same key is used for encryption and decryption, securely sharing that key with the recipient without it being intercepted is a major challenge.
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26Asymmetric Cryptography is also known as:
A.Secret-key cryptography
B.Public-key cryptography
C.Block cipher
D.One-way cryptography
Correct Answer: Public-key cryptography
Explanation:
Asymmetric cryptography uses a pair of keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.
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27In an asymmetric encryption scenario, if Alice wants to send a confidential message to Bob, which key does she use to encrypt the message?
A.Bob's Public Key
B.Bob's Private Key
C.Alice's Public Key
D.Alice's Private Key
Correct Answer: Bob's Public Key
Explanation:
To ensure only Bob can read the message, Alice encrypts it with Bob's Public Key. Only Bob's Private Key can decrypt it.
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28Which algorithm is a widely used Asymmetric cryptosystem?
A.RSA
B.DES
C.AES
D.3DES
Correct Answer: RSA
Explanation:
RSA (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman) is a standard asymmetric algorithm used for secure data transmission.
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29What is the primary purpose of a Hashing algorithm?
A.To encrypt data for confidentiality
B.To verify data integrity
C.To compress data
D.To create a communication tunnel
Correct Answer: To verify data integrity
Explanation:
Hashing creates a unique fixed-length string (digest) from data. If the data changes, the hash changes, allowing verification of integrity.
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30Which of the following is a characteristic of a secure hash function?
A.It is a one-way function.
B.It uses two keys.
C.It is reversible (two-way).
D.It produces variable length output.
Correct Answer: It is a one-way function.
Explanation:
Hash functions are designed to be one-way; it should be computationally impossible to recreate the original data from the hash value.
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31What is a 'Collision' in the context of hashing?
A.When two different inputs produce the same hash output
B.When a hash function crashes
C.When encryption and decryption happen simultaneously
D.When data is lost during hashing
Correct Answer: When two different inputs produce the same hash output
Explanation:
A collision occurs when two distinct pieces of data generate the exact same hash digest, which is a security vulnerability.
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32Which hashing algorithm is considered insecure today due to collision vulnerabilities?
A.SHA-256
B.MD5
C.SHA-3
D.Whirlpool
Correct Answer: MD5
Explanation:
MD5 is now considered cryptographically broken because collisions can be generated easily on modern hardware.
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33What is the 'Man-in-the-Middle' (MITM) attack in the context of cryptography?
A.An attacker guessing the password
B.An attacker intercepting and possibly altering communications between two parties
C.An attacker physically stealing the server
D.An attacker deleting the database
Correct Answer: An attacker intercepting and possibly altering communications between two parties
Explanation:
In MITM, the attacker secretly relays and possibly alters the communication between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other.
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34IPsec is primarily used to secure which type of connection?
A.Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
B.Web browsing (HTTPS)
C.File storage
D.Email transmission
Correct Answer: Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Explanation:
IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) is a suite of protocols used to secure internet protocol communications, commonly used to create VPNs.
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35What are the two main modes of operation for IPsec?
A.Block and Stream
B.Tunnel and Transport
C.Public and Private
D.Open and Closed
Correct Answer: Tunnel and Transport
Explanation:
Transport mode encrypts only the payload, while Tunnel mode encrypts the entire IP packet (header and payload).
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36What is PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) primarily used for?
A.Securing hard drives
B.Securing WiFi passwords
C.Securing routing tables
D.Securing email communications
Correct Answer: Securing email communications
Explanation:
PGP is a data encryption and decryption program that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication, widely used for signing and encrypting emails.
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37Which protocol succeeded SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to provide secure web browsing?
A.HTTP
B.TLS (Transport Layer Security)
C.IPsec
D.SSH
Correct Answer: TLS (Transport Layer Security)
Explanation:
TLS is the successor to SSL. While we still often say 'SSL certificates', modern secure web traffic actually uses TLS.
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38What is the purpose of a Digital Signature?
A.To verify authenticity and non-repudiation
B.To compress the message
C.To encrypt the message
D.To hide the message
Correct Answer: To verify authenticity and non-repudiation
Explanation:
A digital signature ensures the message came from the claimed sender (authenticity) and that the sender cannot deny sending it (non-repudiation).
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39In the context of SSL/TLS, what role does a Certificate Authority (CA) play?
A.It encrypts the traffic.
B.It hosts the website.
C.It creates the HTML content.
D.It acts as a trusted third party that issues digital certificates.
Correct Answer: It acts as a trusted third party that issues digital certificates.
Explanation:
A CA verifies the identity of the entity requesting a certificate and issues it, allowing browsers to trust the secure connection.
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40Which cryptographic concept refers to hiding a secret message within an ordinary file, like an image?
A.Hashing
B.Obfuscation
C.Steganography
D.Cryptography
Correct Answer: Steganography
Explanation:
Steganography involves hiding the existence of the data itself (e.g., hiding text inside the bits of an image file), distinct from encryption which hides the meaning.
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41Which phase of hacking involves scanning the network for specific IP addresses and open ports?
A.Maintaining Access
B.Reconnaissance
C.Gaining Access
D.Scanning
Correct Answer: Scanning
Explanation:
Scanning involves taking the information found during reconnaissance and using it to examine the network actively for live hosts, open ports, and services.
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42What is a 'Gray Hat' hacker?
A.Someone who hacks without permission but often without malicious intent, and may disclose vulnerabilities to the owner
B.A hacker who only uses old hardware
C.A hacker who is retired
D.Someone who hacks for government agencies
Correct Answer: Someone who hacks without permission but often without malicious intent, and may disclose vulnerabilities to the owner
Explanation:
Gray Hats sit between White and Black Hats. They may violate laws/standards (no permission) but usually don't hack for personal gain or malice.
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43In a TCP header, which flag is used to initiate a connection?
A.RST
B.ACK
C.FIN
D.SYN
Correct Answer: SYN
Explanation:
The SYN (Synchronize) flag is used as the first step in the three-way handshake to initiate a TCP connection.
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44Which network device operates at Layer 1 (Physical Layer) of the OSI model?
A.Router
B.Hub
C.Firewall
D.Switch
Correct Answer: Hub
Explanation:
A hub is a basic networking device that connects multiple computers but operates purely physically, broadcasting signals to all ports without logic.
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45Which command is commonly used to test the reachability of a host on an IP network?
A.ping
B.ipconfig
C.netstat
D.nslookup
Correct Answer: ping
Explanation:
Ping uses ICMP echo requests to test connectivity between the source and a destination IP.
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46What is the macOS operating system derived from?
A.Unix (BSD)
B.Solaris
C.MS-DOS
D.Linux
Correct Answer: Unix (BSD)
Explanation:
macOS is built on top of Darwin, which is a Unix-like operating system based on BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution).
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47Which of the following describes 'Salting' in cryptography?
A.Encrypting the data twice
B.Changing the algorithm frequently
C.Using a longer key
D.Adding random data to a password before hashing it
Correct Answer: Adding random data to a password before hashing it
Explanation:
Salting involves adding unique random data to inputs before hashing to defend against rainbow table attacks and ensure identical passwords have different hashes.
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48What is the main security risk of using WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) for WiFi?
A.It is too slow.
B.It uses a static key that is easily cracked.
C.It requires a wired connection.
D.It is not compatible with modern phones.
Correct Answer: It uses a static key that is easily cracked.
Explanation:
WEP has significant cryptographic vulnerabilities involving its initialization vectors, allowing attackers to crack the key in minutes.
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49In the context of firewalls, what does 'Ingress Filtering' refer to?
A.Filtering internal traffic
B.Filtering traffic entering the network
C.Filtering traffic leaving the network
D.Filtering based on time of day
Correct Answer: Filtering traffic entering the network
Explanation:
Ingress filtering monitors and filters incoming packets to restrict forbidden traffic or spoofed IP addresses from entering the network.
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50What is the standard port for HTTPS traffic?
A.80
B.21
C.8080
D.443
Correct Answer: 443
Explanation:
Port 443 is the standard port reserved for secure web traffic using SSL/TLS (HTTPS).