Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

What kind of attack uses tools to collect information about potential vulnerabilities to exploit later?

1. Port Scanning

2. Social Engineering

3. Enumeration

4. Web Scraping

The correct answer is: Enumeration

The choice of enumeration is correct in the context of identifying and collecting information about potential vulnerabilities. Enumeration is a proactive approach where an attacker or tester systematically gathers details about a target system or network. This can include identifying users, groups, and services, as well as gathering information on the configurations and potential weaknesses in security protocols. By obtaining detailed data during the enumeration phase, an attacker can strategize and effectively exploit vulnerabilities in future attacks. Port scanning, while also aimed at gathering information, focuses specifically on identifying open ports and services on a device and does not delve into detailed system weaknesses like enumeration does. Social engineering involves manipulating individuals into divulging confidential information, making it more about human factors than technical systems. Web scraping is a technique used for extracting data from websites and is generally not associated with the systematic information gathering of vulnerabilities but rather for data collection purposes unrelated to security exploits. Thus, enumeration is characterized by its intent to probe deeper into a target's security landscape, making it the most fitting answer regarding the gathering of information for potential exploit purposes.