Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

What type of attack targets victims with links that appear legitimate to redirect them?

1. Phishing

2. Unvalidated redirects and forwards

3. Denial of Service

4. Session fixation

The correct answer is: Unvalidated redirects and forwards

The type of attack that specifically targets victims with links that appear legitimate in order to redirect them is indeed unvalidated redirects and forwards. This method typically exploits vulnerabilities in a web application to redirect users to a malicious website while disguising the link as if it were a legitimate one. In the context of this attack, an attacker may manipulate a URL to lead users to a harmful site, often embedding the malicious link in seemingly harmless text or making it resemble trusted sources. The lack of proper validation on the redirects allows the attacker to precisely control the destination URL, misleading users into providing sensitive information or downloading harmful software. While phishing can also involve links to malicious sites, it generally encompasses a broader range of deceptive practices aimed at tricking users into divulging sensitive information, rather than specifically concentrating on redirecting users via manipulated links. Denial of Service attacks aim to overwhelm servers and disrupt service rather than redirecting users. Session fixation involves exploiting a session identifier but does not focus on redirecting users through deceptive links. Therefore, unvalidated redirects and forwards best describes the specific nature of the attack scenario mentioned.