Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking Quiz

What is the primary objective of ethical hacking?

• To exploit vulnerabilities for financial gain

• To prevent and protect systems from being hacked

• To steal confidential information

• To deface websites

Answer explanation

The primary objective of ethical hacking is to prevent and protect systems from being hacked. Ethical hackers identify vulnerabilities to strengthen security, unlike malicious hackers who exploit them for personal gain.

Which of the following is NOT a type of malware?

• Virus

• Worm

• Keylogger

• Firewall

Answer explanation

A firewall is not a type of malware; it is a security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic. In contrast, a virus, worm, and keylogger are all types of malware designed to harm or exploit systems.

What is a DDoS attack?

• Distributed Denial of Service

• Data Disruption Over System

• Data Duplication and System Overload

• Data Destruction on Open Servers

Answer explanation

A DDoS attack stands for Distributed Denial of Service. It involves multiple systems overwhelming a target server, making it unavailable to users. The other options do not accurately describe this type of cyber attack.

Which of the following is a common tool used for network sniffing?

• Metasploit

• Wireshark

• Nmap

• John the Ripper

Answer explanation

Wireshark is a widely used network protocol analyzer that captures and displays data packets in real-time, making it a common tool for network sniffing. The other options serve different purposes.

What is "social engineering" in the context of hacking?

• A technique used to exploit software vulnerabilities

• Manipulating people into providing sensitive information

• Bypassing firewalls and antivirus software

• A type of malware that targets social media platforms

Answer explanation

Social engineering involves manipulating individuals to divulge confidential information, making 'Manipulating people into providing sensitive information' the correct choice. It focuses on human interaction rather than technical exploits.

What does the tool Nmap primarily do?

• Network scanning

• Password cracking

• File encryption

• Malware analysis

Answer explanation

Nmap is a powerful tool used for network scanning, allowing users to discover hosts and services on a computer network. It does not perform password cracking, file encryption, or malware analysis.

Which of the following is a method of password cracking?

• SQL Injection

• Brute Force Attack

• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

• DDoS Attack

Answer explanation

A Brute Force Attack is a method of password cracking where an attacker systematically tries all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found. The other options are not methods for cracking passwords.

Which protocol is most commonly used to secure data during transmission over the web?

• HTTP

• FTP

• HTTPS

• SMTP

Answer explanation

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is the most commonly used protocol for securing data during transmission over the web, as it encrypts the data exchanged between the user's browser and the server.

What is "phishing"?

• The act of exploiting server vulnerabilities

• Sending fraudulent emails to obtain sensitive information

• Injecting malicious code into websites

• Scanning networks for vulnerabilities

Answer explanation

Phishing is specifically the act of sending fraudulent emails to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. This distinguishes it from other cyber threats.

What type of attack exploits a vulnerability in a web application’s SQL database?

• Cross-Site Scripting

• Man-in-the-Middle Attack

• SQL Injection

• DNS Spoofing

Answer explanation

SQL Injection is an attack that targets vulnerabilities in a web application's SQL database by injecting malicious SQL code, allowing attackers to manipulate or access sensitive data. It is the correct choice here.