ETHICAL Hacking Till Mid
ETHICAL Hacking Till Mid
OF TECHNOLOGY
BHOPAL
Department
ETHICAL HACKING
Types of Hackers:
1. White-Hat Hackers (Ethical Hackers): As mentioned before, ethical hackers are security
professionals who legally and with permission attempt to identify and fix vulnerabilities in computer
systems, networks, and applications.
2. Black-Hat Hackers: Black-hat hackers are malicious hackers who engage in illegal activities, such
as stealing data, spreading malware, or exploiting vulnerabilities for personal gain.
3. Gray-Hat Hackers: These hackers operate in a gray area, often identifying and exploiting
vulnerabilities without authorization but claiming to do so for ethical reasons. Their actions can be
ambiguous and may or may not align with the law.
4. Hacktivists: Hacktivists use hacking skills to promote political or social causes. They may deface
websites, leak sensitive data, or disrupt online services to advance their agenda.
5. Script Kiddies: Script kiddies are individuals with limited technical skills who use readily available
hacking tools or scripts to launch attacks. They typically lack in-depth knowledge and often copy the
work of more skilled hackers.
Roles of Security in Ethical Hacking: Security plays several vital roles in ethical hacking:
• Authorization and Legal Compliance: Security ensures that ethical hackers have explicit
permission to test systems and that all activities comply with legal and ethical standards.
• Data Protection: Security ensures the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data during testing.
• Risk Management: Security helps prioritize vulnerabilities based on risk and guides remediation
efforts.
• Documentation and Reporting: Security is essential for documenting findings and providing
recommendations for remediation.
• Ethical Conduct: Security emphasizes ethical behavior and ensures that ethical hackers act
responsibly and professionally.
Penetration Tester (Pen Tester): A penetration tester, often referred to as a "pen tester," is a specialized
type of ethical hacker. Their primary role is to identify security vulnerabilities by attempting to exploit them
in a controlled manner. Pen testers are skilled in various hacking techniques and use them to assess the
security of systems, networks, and applications. They provide detailed reports with findings and
recommendations for remediation.
Hacking Tools: Hacking tools are software applications or scripts used by hackers and ethical hackers to
perform various tasks related to hacking. These tools can include vulnerability scanners, password cracking
tools, network analyzers, and more. Ethical hackers use these tools to identify and assess vulnerabilities as
part of their security assessments.
Script Kiddies: Script kiddies are individuals with limited technical skills who use pre-written scripts or
hacking tools to launch attacks without a deep understanding of how these attacks work. They often lack the
expertise to develop their techniques and rely on easily accessible resources.
Black Box and White Box Model Approach:
• Black Box Testing: In black box testing, ethical hackers have limited knowledge of the target
system's internal architecture and design. They approach the assessment as an external attacker
would, focusing on identifying vulnerabilities without detailed knowledge of the system's structure.
• White Box Testing: White box testing, on the other hand, involves comprehensive knowledge of
the target system's internal architecture and source code. Ethical hackers conduct assessments with
full access to system details, allowing for a thorough examination of vulnerabilities from the inside.
Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Black box testing simulates a real-world
attacker's perspective but may miss certain internal vulnerabilities, while white box testing provides a
deeper understanding of the system but may not uncover vulnerabilities that require an external perspective.
Ethical hacking is a complex field with various facets, and the roles, tools, and methodologies involved
depend on the specific goals and scope of each security assessment. The overarching principle is to identify
and mitigate security risks while adhering to ethical and legal standards.
Regenerate
2.Network and computer Attacks- malware worms, spy ware, buffer overflow attack,
salami attack, denial of service attack, ping of death
Network and computer attacks encompass a wide range of techniques and methods
that malicious actors use to compromise systems, steal data, disrupt services, or gain
unauthorized access. Here are explanations of some common network and computer
attacks:
1. Malware:
• Definition: Malware, short for malicious software, is a broad category of
software designed to harm, exploit, or compromise computer systems. It
includes viruses, Trojans, ransomware, and more.
• Worms: Worms are self-replicating malware that spread across networks
without user intervention. They can consume network resources and spread
rapidly.
• Spyware: Spyware is designed to gather information about a user's
activities without their knowledge or consent. It can capture keystrokes,
record browsing habits, and steal sensitive data.
2. Buffer Overflow Attack:
• Definition: A buffer overflow attack occurs when an attacker exploits a
vulnerability in a program to overflow a buffer (a temporary data storage
area) and inject malicious code. This can lead to arbitrary code execution or
system crashes.
3. Salami Attack (Salami Slicing):
• Definition: A salami attack involves stealing tiny amounts of money or
data from multiple accounts or transactions over time. The goal is to avoid
detection by taking such small amounts that victims may not notice the
losses.
4. Denial of Service (DoS) Attack:
• Definition: A DoS attack aims to disrupt the availability of a system,
network, or service by overwhelming it with excessive traffic or requests.
This results in legitimate users being unable to access the targeted
resource.
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack: DDoS attacks involve a
network of compromised computers (botnet) that coordinate to flood a
target with traffic, making it even more challenging to mitigate.
5. Ping of Death:
• Definition: The ping of death is an old but still relevant attack where an
attacker sends a malformed or oversized Internet Control Message
Protocol (ICMP) packet (ping) to a target. When the system processes this
oversized packet, it can cause the system to crash or become unresponsive.
These are just a few examples of the many network and computer attacks that exist.
Each type of attack targets specific vulnerabilities or weaknesses in systems, networks,
or software. Organizations and individuals need to be aware of these threats and
implement security measures to protect against them. This includes using antivirus
software, applying security patches and updates, configuring firewalls, and monitoring
network traffic for signs of unusual activity. Additionally, educating users about safe
online practices is crucial in preventing these attacks.
3. TCP/IP Concepts Review- protocol stack, TCP segment header Network
Enumeration Port scanning SYN scan, connect scan, NULL scan, FIN scan, UDP scan
Protocol Stack:
• TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is one of the main transport layer protocols
in the TCP/IP model. A TCP segment header contains information necessary for
the reliable delivery of data between devices. It includes details like source and
destination ports, sequence numbers, acknowledgment numbers, and flags (e.g.,
SYN, ACK, FIN) to control the connection and manage data flow.
Network Enumeration:
Port Scanning:
• Port scanning is a technique used to discover open ports and services on a target
system. It helps identify potential entry points for attacks. Different types of port
scans include:
• SYN Scan: SYN scanning involves sending SYN packets to various ports to
check for open ports. If a port responds with a SYN-ACK packet, it indicates
the port is open.
• Connect Scan: A connect scan attempts to establish a full TCP connection
to each port to determine if it's open. This method is more reliable but also
more conspicuous than SYN scanning.
• NULL Scan: In a NULL scan, the attacker sends packets with no TCP flags
set (i.e., all flags are cleared). If a port responds with a RST (reset) packet, it
suggests the port is closed. If no response is received, it may indicate an
open port.
• FIN Scan: A FIN scan sends TCP packets with only the FIN flag set. The
behavior of the target system's response is used to infer whether a port is
open or closed.
• UDP Scan: While TCP scans focus on TCP ports, UDP scans target UDP
(User Datagram Protocol) ports. Since UDP is connectionless and doesn't
provide the same acknowledgments as TCP, UDP scans are typically more
challenging and may require additional techniques to determine if a port is
open.
Port scanning is a valuable tool for network administrators and security professionals to
assess network security, but it can also be used maliciously. Organizations often use
intrusion detection and prevention systems to detect and block scanning attempts.
Understanding these concepts is essential for network administrators and security practitioners to
effectively manage and secure their networks. Additionally, ethical hackers use these techniques to
identify potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities in network configurations.
4. Foot printing and social engineering, port scanning enumeration- DNS query, whois
query, OS finger printing, banner grabbing,
Footprinting," "social engineering," and various techniques related to "port scanning
and enumeration" are important aspects of information gathering and reconnaissance
in the context of cybersecurity. Let's explore these concepts:
Footprinting:
Social Engineering:
• Port scanning and enumeration are used to identify and gather information
about open ports, services, and systems on a target network or host. Various
techniques are employed in this process.
• DNS Query: Domain Name System (DNS) queries can reveal information
about a target's domain names, IP addresses, and network topology.
Attackers may use DNS to discover subdomains and other network-related
data.
• Whois Query: A Whois query provides information about domain
ownership, including contact details for the domain's registrant,
administrative contact, and technical contact. This information can be
useful for attackers to gather data about an organization.
• OS Fingerprinting: OS fingerprinting is the process of determining the
operating system running on a target system by analyzing how it responds
to network probes and requests. This information helps attackers tailor
their attacks to target specific vulnerabilities associated with the OS.
• Banner Grabbing: Banner grabbing involves connecting to a network
service (e.g., web server, FTP server) and analyzing the banner or response
received. This can reveal information about the service, its version, and
potentially known vulnerabilities.
These techniques are typically part of the reconnaissance phase of ethical hacking or
security assessments. Ethical hackers and security professionals use them to understand
the target environment, identify potential weaknesses, and develop a comprehensive
security strategy to protect against cyber threats.
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5. Programming for security professionals defensive programming, software and
security, web application vulnerabilities and its sources, code injection attacks cross
site scripting attack, SQL injection attack, shell injection attack, OWASP
Programming for security professionals involves a proactive approach to building
software applications with security in mind, identifying and addressing vulnerabilities,
and protecting systems and data from various threats. Let's explore some key concepts
related to programming for security professionals:
Defensive Programming:
• Web applications are often targeted by attackers due to their accessibility over
the internet. Common web application vulnerabilities and their sources include:
• Injection Attacks: These occur when untrusted data is executed as code.
Examples include SQL injection, code injection, and shell injection attacks.
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): This vulnerability allows attackers to inject
malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. It typically happens
when user input isn't properly sanitized.
• Insecure Authentication and Session Management: Weaknesses in how
user sessions and authentication are handled can lead to unauthorized
access.
• Broken Access Control: Failure to enforce proper access controls can
allow unauthorized users to access sensitive data or functionality.
• Security Misconfigurations: Poorly configured web servers, databases, or
application frameworks can expose vulnerabilities.
• Sensitive Data Exposure: Storing sensitive data without encryption or not
adequately protecting it can lead to data breaches.
Types of Anonymity:
• Anonymous servers or proxy servers are intermediary servers that act as a buffer
between a user's device and the internet. They can be used to hide the user's IP
address and location. There are different types of proxy servers, including open
proxies (publicly accessible by anyone) and private proxies (used for specific
purposes).
Email Spoofing:
7. Web servers hacking -web defacement, broken and access control, command
injection flow, web and application server misconfiguration,
Web Defacement:
• Broken access control occurs when a web application or server doesn't properly
enforce access controls, allowing unauthorized users to access sensitive
functionality or data. This can lead to data breaches and unauthorized actions.
Command Injection:
• Command injection is a type of attack where an attacker injects malicious
commands into input fields or parameters of a web application. If the server
doesn't properly sanitize and validate user inputs, these commands can be
executed on the server, potentially compromising it.
To protect web servers from these types of attacks and vulnerabilities, consider the
following security measures:
1. Access Controls: Implement proper access controls to ensure that users can only
access the data and functionality they are authorized to use.
2. Input Validation and Sanitization: Always validate and sanitize user inputs to
prevent command injection attacks and other injection-based vulnerabilities.
3. Security Patching: Regularly update web servers and applications with security
patches to address known vulnerabilities.
4. Web Application Firewalls (WAFs): Deploy WAFs to filter and monitor
incoming web traffic, detecting and blocking common web application attacks.
5. Least Privilege Principle: Limit the privileges of web server processes and user
accounts to reduce the potential impact of an attacker's compromise.
6. Security Testing: Conduct security assessments, such as penetration testing and
code reviews, to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in web applications and
server configurations.
7. Secure File Uploads: If your application allows file uploads, ensure that
uploaded files are properly validated, stored securely, and not executable.
8. Log and Monitoring: Implement logging and monitoring mechanisms to detect
and respond to suspicious activities or unauthorized access.
9. Incident Response Plan: Develop and maintain an incident response plan to
handle security incidents effectively when they occur.
Web server security is an ongoing process that requires vigilance and continuous
improvement to protect against evolving threats and vulnerabilities. Regularly auditing
and securing your web servers and applications is crucial to maintaining a robust
security posture.