Network Scanning and Port Identification: Master the Art of Network Reconnaissance

Question 1

What is a SYN scan?

Accepted Answer

A scan that sends a SYN packet and expects an ACK response

Answer

A scan that sends a SYN-ACK packet and expects a RST response

Answer

A scan that sends a RST packet and expects a SYN response

Answer

A scan that sends an ACK packet and expects a SYN response

Question 2

Which of the following services typically runs on port 21?

Accepted Answer

FTP

Answer

HTTP

Answer

Telnet

Answer

SMTP

Question 3

What is the difference between a ping scan and a port scan?

Accepted Answer

Ping scans identify active hosts, while port scans identify open ports

Answer

Port scans identify active hosts, while ping scans identify open ports

Answer

Both scans identify active hosts and open ports

Answer

Neither scan identifies active hosts or open ports

Question 4

Which tool can be used to identify the operating system of a target host?

Accepted Answer

Nmap with OS detection options

Answer

Wireshark

Answer

Metasploit

Answer

Nessus

Question 5

What is the purpose of a banner grab?

Accepted Answer

To retrieve information about a running service

Answer

To identify potential vulnerabilities

Answer

To gain unauthorized access to a system

Answer

To scan for open ports

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a common port scanning technique involved in network reconnaissance?

Accepted Answer

ARP scan

Answer

TCP SYN scan

Answer

UDP scan

Answer

ICMP scan

Question 7

Which widely used network scanning tool provides comprehensive features for network discovery, vulnerability assessment, and exploitation?

Accepted Answer

Nmap

Answer

Wireshark

Answer

Metasploit

Answer

Nessus

Question 8

Which port is well-known for facilitating secure web browsing over an encrypted connection?

Accepted Answer

443

Answer

21

Answer

22

Answer

8080

Question 9

What is the primary objective of performing a network scan?

Accepted Answer

To identify open ports and services on a target network

Answer

To exploit vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access

Answer

To intercept and analyze network traffic

Answer

To create a distributed denial-of-service attack

Question 10

Which of the following is a primary advantage of employing a stealth scan technique?

Accepted Answer

Reduced likelihood of detection by target systems, making it less intrusive

Answer

Increased accuracy in port identification

Answer

Enhanced ability to exploit discovered vulnerabilities

Answer

Faster scan completion time, enabling more efficient reconnaissance

Question 11

What is the fundamental difference between a TCP SYN scan and a TCP FIN scan in terms of packet behavior?

Accepted Answer

A TCP SYN scan sends a SYN packet and expects a SYN/ACK response, while a TCP FIN scan sends a FIN packet and expects no response

Answer

A TCP SYN scan sends a FIN packet and expects a SYN/ACK response, while a TCP FIN scan sends a SYN packet and expects no response

Answer

Both TCP SYN scans and TCP FIN scans send and expect the same packet types and responses

Answer

A TCP SYN scan expects a FIN response, while a TCP FIN scan expects a SYN/ACK response

Question 12

Which tool is primarily designed for the analysis of network traffic and the detection of potential security threats?

Accepted Answer

Wireshark

Answer

Nmap

Answer

Metasploit

Answer

SQLMap

Question 13

What is the fundamental purpose of a firewall in a network security context?

Accepted Answer

To prevent unauthorized access to and from a protected network

Answer

To detect and respond to malware and other malicious activity

Answer

To provide encryption for network traffic, ensuring data confidentiality

Answer

To enhance network performance by optimizing traffic flow

Question 14

Which tool is most commonly utilized for port scanning in ethical hacking?

Accepted Answer

Nmap

Answer

Ping

Answer

Traceroute

Answer

Wireshark

Question 15

What is the primary objective of network scanning in ethical hacking?

Accepted Answer

Identifying available ports and associated services

Answer

Monitoring network traffic patterns

Answer

Detecting malware and virus infections

Answer

Enhancing network configurations

Question 16

Which scanning technique involves sending packets to a range of IP addresses and ports to determine active hosts and open ports?

Accepted Answer

SYN scanning

Answer

UDP scanning

Answer

TCP connect scanning

Answer

Stealth scanning

Question 17

Which port is predominantly used for secure website communication?

Accepted Answer

443

Answer

21

Answer

80

Answer

3389

Question 18

What is the fundamental difference between a TCP port and a UDP port?

Accepted Answer

TCP ports are connection-oriented, while UDP ports are connectionless.

Answer

UDP ports provide faster data transfer, whereas TCP ports offer greater reliability.

Answer

TCP ports are primarily used for web browsing, while UDP ports are utilized for email.

Answer

There is no difference between TCP and UDP ports.

Question 19

Which ethical hacking tool is designed to identify potential vulnerabilities within a network?

Accepted Answer

Nessus

Answer

Snort

Answer

Metasploit

Answer

Wireshark

Question 20

Which port scanning method is considered the most surreptitious and difficult to detect?

Accepted Answer

Stealth scanning

Answer

TCP connect scanning

Answer

SYN scanning

Answer

UDP scanning

Question 21

Which of the following ports is commonly used for remote desktop connections?

Accepted Answer

3389

Answer

21

Answer

22

Answer

8080

Question 22

Which of the following tools is primarily used for port scanning and service identification in network security assessments?

Accepted Answer

Nmap

Answer

Metasploit (primarily for exploiting vulnerabilities and launching attacks)

Answer

Burp Suite (primarily for web application testing)

Answer

Wireshark (primarily for network traffic analysis)

Question 23

What is the primary purpose of a ping sweep in network scanning?

Accepted Answer

To identify active devices on a network by sending ICMP echo requests

Answer

To identify open ports by sending specific TCP or UDP packets

Answer

To perform a denial-of-service attack by flooding a target with excessive traffic

Answer

To identify vulnerable services by exploiting known vulnerabilities

Question 24

Which port is commonly used for secure web browsing via HTTPS protocol?

Accepted Answer

443

Answer

21 (commonly used for FTP file transfers)

Answer

80 (commonly used for unencrypted HTTP traffic)

Answer

53 (commonly used for DNS lookups)

Question 25

What is a stealth scan in the context of network scanning?

Accepted Answer

A type of scan that attempts to avoid detection by target devices by using advanced techniques to minimize network traffic and evade common detection mechanisms

Answer

A scan that only targets open ports, excluding closed or filtered ports

Answer

A scan that targets all ports, regardless of their state

Question 26

Which of the following is a passive network scanning technique that involves monitoring network traffic without actively sending requests?

Accepted Answer

Sniffing

Answer

Port scanning (an active technique that sends TCP or UDP packets to specific ports)

Answer

Ping sweep (an active technique that sends ICMP echo requests)

Question 27

What is the key difference between a TCP scan and a UDP scan in port scanning?

Accepted Answer

TCP scans attempt to establish a full TCP connection with the target port, while UDP scans send UDP packets without establishing a connection

Answer

TCP scans are faster than UDP scans

Answer

TCP scans are more reliable than UDP scans

Question 28

Which of the following is a common vulnerability associated with open ports that can lead to unauthorized access or system compromise?

Accepted Answer

Buffer overflow

Answer

SQL injection (primarily associated with database vulnerabilities)

Answer

Cross-site scripting (primarily associated with web applications)

Answer

Man-in-the-middle attack (primarily associated with network eavesdropping)

Question 29

What is the primary function of a honeypot in the context of network security?

Accepted Answer

To act as a decoy system to attract and monitor attackers, providing valuable insights into their tactics and techniques

Answer

To detect and mitigate vulnerabilities by continuously scanning for security weaknesses

Answer

To prevent attacks from occurring by implementing robust security measures

Question 30

When conducting network scans as part of an ethical hacking engagement, which ethical principle should be prioritized?

Accepted Answer

Respect for privacy and confidentiality, ensuring that scans are conducted with authorization and minimizing the collection and disclosure of sensitive information

Answer

Accuracy and completeness, aiming to gather the most comprehensive and reliable data

Answer

Speed and efficiency, focusing on completing the scans as quickly as possible

Answer

Thoroughness and comprehensiveness, covering all potential targets and attack vectors

Question 31

In an ethical hacking context, what is the primary role of network scanning?

Accepted Answer

To identify potential vulnerabilities and entry points that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access or compromise the target system

Answer

To steal sensitive data or launch attacks against the target system

Answer

To compromise the target system and maintain persistent access