312-50v13 Exam Dumps - Certified Ethical Hacker Exam (CEHv13)

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The netstat (network statistics) command is used to display:

Current TCP/UDP connections

Listening ports

Routing tables

Interface statistics

This is one of the most common tools for network troubleshooting and monitoring on Windows and Linux.

From CEH v13 Courseware:

Module 3: Scanning Networks → System and Network Utilities

CEH v13 stresses that IoT-to-OT convergence is one of the most dangerous architectures in critical infrastructure environments. IoT devices often lack strong security controls and become ideal entry points for lateral movement into OT systems controlling physical processes.

The immediate priority is to secure the communication boundary between IoT and OT systems. Implementing strong encryption, authentication, and access control ensures that even if an IoT device is compromised, it cannot be used as a pivot point. CEH v13 explicitly recommends network segmentation and secure communication channels as first-response containment measures.

Penetration testing (Option A) is valuable but time-consuming and not an immediate mitigation. ML-based tools (Option C) require training time and are not instant safeguards. IPS deployment (Option D) helps detect attacks but does not prevent credential abuse or trusted-path exploitation between IoT and OT layers.

By enforcing secure protocols, certificates, and authentication mechanisms, the organization reduces attack surface immediately. Thus, Option B is correct.

SSL/TLS uses a hybrid cryptographic approach:

Asymmetric cryptography is used during the handshake phase to securely exchange symmetric session keys over an insecure network.

After the key exchange, symmetric encryption (e.g., AES) is used for the bulk of data transfer due to its high performance and lower overhead.

This approach balances security and efficiency by leveraging asymmetric encryption for secure key exchange and symmetric encryption for speed.

Reference – CEH v13 Official Study Guide:

Module 20: Cryptography

Section: SSL/TLS

Quote:

“SSL/TLS uses asymmetric cryptography to negotiate keys and symmetric cryptography to encrypt data. This combination ensures secure, fast, and reliable communication.”

Incorrect Options Explained:

A. Not relevant — all devices follow the protocol regardless of capability.

B. There is no failover mechanism as described.

C. Session keys are exchanged during the handshake, not out-of-band.

CEH v13 identifies URL parameters used in dynamic SQL queries as common injection points. When user-controlled values are passed directly into database queries without validation, attackers can manipulate query logic. Injecting a test payload such as 1 OR 1=1 into the userID parameter is a standard method to determine whether the application concatenates input into SQL statements. If the page displays all user orders instead of only the authenticated user's orders, this confirms SQL injection. CEH teaches that conditional tautologies are one of the safest and most reliable ways to probe SQL vulnerabilities, especially in GET parameters. JavaScript injection (Option A) tests XSS, not SQLi. Directory traversal (Option C) targets filesystem issues, not database logic. Brute-forcing user credentials (Option D) does not test query sanitization. Therefore, modifying the userID parameter with a SQL injection payload is the correct CEH-aligned method.

QUESTION NO: 1 [Web Application Hacking]

During a red team exercise, a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is attempting to exploit a potential vulnerability in a target organization’s web server. The CEH has completed the information gathering and footprinting phases and has mirrored the website for offline analysis. It has also been discovered that the server is vulnerable to session hijacking. Which of the following steps is most likely to be part of a successful attack methodology while minimizing the possibility of detection?

A. Hijack an active session and immediately modify server configuration files.

B. Attempt SQL injection to extract sensitive database information.

C. Perform vulnerability scanning using automated tools to identify additional weaknesses.

D. Launch a direct brute-force attack to crack the server’s administrative password.

Answer: B

According to the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) attack methodology, once reconnaissance, footprinting, and website mirroring have been completed, the attacker proceeds cautiously to exploitation while maintaining stealth. CEH documentation emphasizes that low-noise, application-layer attacks are preferable when the objective is to minimize detection.

Option B, attempting SQL Injection, aligns directly with CEH’s Web Application Hacking module. SQL Injection is a server-side attack that can often be executed through normal-looking HTTP requests, making it less likely to trigger intrusion detection systems (IDS) or security alerts. CEH materials highlight SQL injection as a common and effective technique for extracting sensitive data such as usernames, passwords, and business-critical information without disrupting server operations.

Option A is incorrect because immediately modifying server configuration files after session hijacking significantly increases the risk of detection. CEH guidelines stress post-exploitation restraint, especially during red team operations.

Option C is not ideal at this stage because automated vulnerability scanners generate substantial traffic and are highly detectable. CEH explicitly notes that vulnerability scanning is noisy and often logged.

Option D is the least stealthy option. Brute-force attacks generate numerous failed authentication attempts, triggering security alerts and account lockouts. CEH classifies brute-force attacks as high-risk and easily detectable.

Therefore, SQL Injection represents the most effective and stealthy next step in accordance with CEH’s structured attack lifecycle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Time_Protocol

The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a networking protocol for clock synchronization between computer systems over packet-switched, variable-latency data networks.

NTP is intended to synchronize all participating computers within a few milliseconds of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It uses the intersection algorithm, a modified version of Marzullo's algorithm, to select accurate time servers and is designed to mitigate variable network latency effects. NTP can usually maintain time to within tens of milliseconds over the public Internet and achieve better than one millisecond accuracy in local area networks. Asymmetric routes and network congestion can cause errors of 100 ms or more.

The protocol is usually described in terms of a client-server model but can easily be used in peer-to-peer relationships where both peers consider the other to be a potential time source. Implementations send and receive timestamps using the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) on port number 123.

The scenario describes an API vulnerability where unauthorized users are able to view, modify, or delete sensitive data by interacting with API objects. This indicates a failure in access control—specifically, a lack of Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) validation.

Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC):

ABAC is an advanced access control model that evaluates access permissions based on attributes of the user, the resource, and the environment (e.g., user role, data sensitivity, location, etc.).

When ABAC is not properly implemented ("No ABAC validation"), APIs may allow users to access or manipulate objects they shouldn't have access to.

In APIs, this typically results in vulnerabilities like Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR), where users can tamper with object identifiers (IDs) to access or alter data that doesn’t belong to them.

This is one of the top risks highlighted by the OWASP API Security Top 10 (e.g., Broken Object Level Authorization).

Incorrect Options:

A. Code injection refers to injecting malicious code (e.g., SQLi, XSS), not improper access control.

B. Improper use of CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) may lead to unauthorized data exposure but doesn’t describe unauthorized object access in an API.

D. Business logic flaws relate to weaknesses in application workflows and rules, not direct access control failures.

Reference – CEH v13 Official Courseware:

Module 14: Hacking Web Applications

Section: "API Security Threats"

Subsection: "Access Control Failures in APIs (IDOR, BOLA, ABAC-related flaws)"

OWASP API Security Top 10: 2023 – A1: Broken Object Level Authorization

CEH iLabs and CEH Engage also demonstrate API-based attack vectors exploiting access control weaknesses.

In a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack, an attacker intercepts communication between two parties and can read, alter, or inject data without either party knowing. Susan's actions — intercepting and modifying her boss's session data before relaying it to the server — is the classic MITM pattern.

From CEH v13 Official Courseware:

Module 8: Sniffing

Module 11: Session Hijacking

CEH v13 Study Guide states:

“In a MITM attack, the attacker positions themselves between two communicating parties, relaying and possibly altering communications while maintaining the illusion that the parties are communicating directly.”

Incorrect Options:

A: Sniffing only involves passive listening.

B: Spoofing may involve impersonation but not necessarily interception and relay.

D: DoS is about service disruption, not data interception.

The CEH v13 content explains that stealth scanning involves modifying scan timing parameters to reduce packet frequency, randomize intervals, and avoid recognizable patterns typically flagged by intrusion detection systems. Slow, randomized timing—often achieved with Nmap’s T0 or T1 timing templates—prevents bursts of traffic and allows scans to blend into normal network noise. IDS/IPS systems tuned for high-volume events may fail to detect such gradual reconnaissance. Fast SYN scans generate distinctive patterns easily identified by security monitoring tools. UDP scans, especially across all ports, produce high traffic volume and are extremely noisy. Xmas scans, although sometimes used for stealth against stateless filters, are still signature-detectable and inappropriate when stealth over time is required. Therefore, applying slow, randomized timing options aligns with CEH-approved reconnaissance techniques for evading detection while enumerating open ports.