Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (312-50) Interview Questions

The EC-council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) curriculum is the world’s most comprehensive ethical hacking education, designed to help information security professionals learn the foundations of ethical hacking. The end of the hacking course assists students in becoming professionals who systematically strive to check network infrastructures with the approval of their owner in order to uncover security holes that a malevolent hacker may potentially exploit. This Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (312-50) course was created to teach candidates the tools and strategies used by hackers and information security professionals to break into a company.

This Ethical Hacker interview questions page is a list of the most often asked ethical hacking interview questions. This set of interview questions will teach you about symmetric and asymmetric encryption, ARP poisoning, footprinting, DOS attacks, Cowpatty, comparing spoofing and phishing, network sniffing, hacking stages, hacking tools, MAC flooding, SQL injection, and other topics.

Can you explain the difference between a black hat, white hat, and gray hat hacker?

Black hat, white hat, and gray hat are terms used to describe different types of hackers.

1. Black hat hacker: A black hat hacker is an individual who uses their hacking skills for malicious purposes, such as stealing sensitive data, spreading malware, or disrupting systems. They are often referred to as “crackers” or “criminals.”
2. White hat hacker: A white hat hacker is an individual who uses their hacking skills for ethical purposes, such as identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities, or performing penetration testing to evaluate the security of systems. They are also known as “ethical hackers” or “security researchers.”
3. Gray hat hacker: A gray hat hacker is an individual who operates in a manner that falls between black hat and white hat hackers. They may use their skills for both malicious and ethical purposes, or they may exploit vulnerabilities without permission and then notify the affected parties. They are sometimes referred to as “neutral” or “ambiguous” hackers.

In general, black hat and white hat hackers represent opposite ends of the spectrum, while gray hat hackers fall somewhere in between. It’s important to note that the terms are not legally defined and are used mostly in the security community for the purposes of classification.

How do you approach a vulnerability assessment for a company?

A vulnerability assessment is a process that identifies, analyzes, and prioritizes security weaknesses in a company’s systems, applications, and infrastructure. Here is a general approach to conducting a vulnerability assessment:

1. Plan and scope the assessment: Define the scope of the assessment, including the systems, applications, and networks that will be tested, and establish the goals and objectives of the assessment.
2. Gather information: Collect information about the target systems and applications, including network diagrams, hardware and software configurations, and access controls. This information can be obtained through various methods, such as network scans, port scans, and online research.
3. Conduct vulnerability scans: Use automated tools, such as vulnerability scanners, to identify potential vulnerabilities in the systems and applications. The scans should cover a range of security areas, such as network services, applications, and operating systems.
4. Analyze the results: Review the results of the vulnerability scans and prioritize the findings based on their potential impact and likelihood of exploitation. Assess the risk associated with each vulnerability and develop a plan to address the most critical vulnerabilities first.
5. Verify the vulnerabilities: Verify the existence of the vulnerabilities identified in the scans, and validate their impact. This may involve conducting manual tests or using specialized tools.
6. Report the findings: Prepare a detailed report of the findings, including recommendations for remediation and a plan for future security improvements. The report should be reviewed and approved by relevant stakeholders, including senior management and the IT security team.
7. Implement the recommendations: Work with the appropriate teams to implement the recommendations and remediate the identified vulnerabilities.

This process should be repeated on a regular basis to ensure that the systems and applications remain secure and to identify and address any new vulnerabilities that may arise.

What is your experience with penetration testing?

Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is a simulated attack on a computer system or network to evaluate its security and identify vulnerabilities. The goal of penetration testing is to identify security weaknesses in the systems and applications before they can be exploited by malicious actors.

Penetration testing typically involves a range of techniques and tools, including network scans, vulnerability scans, and manual testing. The pen tester uses their skills and knowledge to attempt to compromise the target system or network and identify any weaknesses that can be exploited.

Penetration testing is an important part of a comprehensive security program, as it helps organizations to understand their risk exposure and identify areas that need improvement. It can also help to validate the effectiveness of security controls and ensure that they are configured correctly.

In general, penetration testing is a complex and highly technical process that requires a deep understanding of security principles and a wide range of skills and tools.

Can you discuss your knowledge of the OSI model and its layers?

The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model is a conceptual framework that describes the different layers of communication involved in transmitting data over a network. It provides a standard way to describe the functions of each layer and how they interact with each other.

The OSI model is composed of seven layers, each of which performs specific functions and is responsible for a different aspect of data communication:

1. Physical Layer: This layer is responsible for transmitting the raw bits of data over a physical medium, such as a copper or fiber-optic cable. It defines the electrical, mechanical, and functional specifications for the physical connection between devices.
2. Data Link Layer: This layer is responsible for ensuring reliable delivery of data frames from one device to another on the same network segment. It provides error detection and correction, flow control, and framing of data into discrete units.
3. Network Layer: This layer is responsible for routing data from its source to its destination. It provides logical addressing, such as IP addresses, and uses algorithms to determine the best path for data to travel through the network.
4. Transport Layer: This layer is responsible for ensuring reliable and efficient delivery of data between applications on different devices. It provides end-to-end error checking, flow control, and segmentation of data into smaller units for transmission.
5. Session Layer: This layer is responsible for establishing, maintaining, and tearing down sessions between applications on different devices. It provides synchronization and management of data exchange between devices.

Each layer in the OSI model performs specific functions and communicates with the layers above and below it to ensure that data is transmitted accurately and efficiently. The OSI model is a useful tool for understanding how data is transmitted over a network and for organizing the development of networking technologies.

How familiar are you with firewalls and IDS/IPS systems?

Firewalls are a key component of network security that control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules. They act as a barrier between a trusted internal network and an untrusted external network, such as the Internet. Firewalls can be hardware or software-based and use a variety of techniques to control traffic, including packet filtering, stateful inspection, and application-level proxying.

IDS (Intrusion Detection System) and IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) are security technologies that monitor network traffic for signs of malicious activity. IDS systems are designed to detect security threats and generate alerts, while IPS systems are designed to prevent threats by blocking malicious traffic in real-time. Both IDS and IPS use a variety of techniques to detect malicious traffic, including signature-based detection, anomaly-based detection, and behavioral analysis.

Both firewalls and IDS/IPS systems are important components of a comprehensive security program and can help organizations to protect against a wide range of security threats. However, they are not foolproof and must be used in conjunction with other security measures, such as regular security updates, strong passwords, and regular security audits, to ensure maximum protection.

Can you explain the purpose of cryptography in information security?

Cryptography is the practice of using mathematical algorithms to encrypt and decrypt data to ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. It is a key tool in information security and plays a critical role in protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and theft.

The main purposes of cryptography in information security are:

1. Confidentiality: Cryptography is used to protect the confidentiality of sensitive information by converting it into a form that is unreadable by unauthorized individuals. This ensures that even if the data is intercepted, it cannot be understood without the appropriate decryption key.
2. Integrity: Cryptography is used to ensure the integrity of data by detecting any changes or modifications to the original data. This helps to ensure that the data has not been tampered with or altered during transmission.
3. Authentication: Cryptography is used to authenticate the identity of individuals and devices involved in a communication. This helps to prevent impersonation and ensure that only authorized individuals and devices can access sensitive information.

Cryptography can be used at different layers of the communication stack, including at the application layer, transport layer, and network layer. It is used in a wide range of applications, such as secure email and file transfer, secure web browsing, secure payment transactions, and secure storage of sensitive information.

In general, cryptography is a critical component of information security and is used to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, theft, and tampering. However, it is important to remember that cryptography is only one component of a comprehensive security program and must be used in conjunction with other security measures to ensure maximum protection.

Can you discuss your experience with various security tools, such as Nmap and Wireshark?

Nmap (Network Mapper) is a free and open-source tool used for network exploration, management, and security auditing. Nmap can be used to scan networks for hosts and services, and can also be used to determine the operating system and running services on a host. Further, Nmap is also capable of identifying open ports, firewall configurations, and vulnerabilities on a target network.

Wireshark is a free and open-source network protocol analyzer tool. It is used to capture, analyze, and inspect network traffic. Wireshark provides a detailed view of the network traffic, including the source and destination addresses, protocol types, and detailed information about the payload data. Wireshark can be used to identify network security issues, such as network slowdowns, dropped packets, and unauthorized access attempts.

Both Nmap and Wireshark are widely used in the security community and are considered essential tools for security professionals. These tools provide a wealth of information about network activity and can be used to identify potential security issues and monitor network security. However, it is important to use these tools ethically and with caution, as they can be misused to conduct malicious activities.

Have you dealt with social engineering attacks before? Can you give an example?

Social engineering attacks are a type of security threat that use psychological manipulation to trick individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. Social engineering attacks can take many forms, including phishing attacks, baiting, quid pro quo, and pretexting.

An example of a social engineering attack is a phishing email that appears to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or an online retailer, and requests that the recipient provide sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. The email may include a link to a fake website that looks like the legitimate site, but is actually designed to steal information entered by the unsuspecting user.

Social engineering attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can be difficult to detect. It is important for individuals to be aware of the various types of social engineering attacks and to exercise caution when receiving unexpected requests for sensitive information or clicking on links in emails or online. Additionally, organizations can implement security measures, such as user awareness training and technical controls, to help protect against social engineering attacks.

Can you discuss your understanding of various types of malware, such as viruses, Trojans, and rootkits?

A virus is a type of malware that replicates itself and spreads to other computers. A virus can cause a range of harmful effects, including slowing down the infected computer, corrupting or deleting files, and spreading to other computers on the network.

A Trojan is a type of malware that disguises itself as a harmless program but performs malicious actions in the background. Trojans can be used to steal sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, and can also be used to install other types of malware, such as viruses or spyware.

A rootkit is a type of malware that is designed to hide itself and other malicious software from detection. Rootkits can be used to give attackers administrative-level access to the infected computer, allowing them to perform actions such as monitoring network traffic, stealing sensitive information, or installing other types of malware.

These are just a few examples of the various types of malware that exist. Malware is a constantly evolving threat and new types are being developed all the time. It is important for individuals and organizations to be aware of the various types of malware and to take appropriate measures to protect themselves, such as using anti-malware software and keeping software up-to-date. Additionally, it is important to exercise caution when opening email attachments or downloading software from the internet, as these are common methods used to spread malware.

1. What exactly is Ethical Hacking?

Ethical hacking is the technique of lawfully circumventing system security with the owner’s consent in order to detect potential dangers and weaknesses in a network.

2. What’s the distinction between ethical hacking and cybersecurity?

Ethical Hacking is performed by Ethical Hackers in order to examine and report on the insights gathered during the hack. Cyber Security is managed by experts whose job it is to protect the system from malicious actions and threats.

3. What are the many categories of hackers?

Hackers are classified as follows:

• Black Hat Hackers or Crackers: They illegally hack systems in order to obtain unauthorised access, disrupt operations, or steal sensitive data.
• White Hat or Ethical Hackers: These hackers hack systems and networks legally and with prior approval to investigate potential vulnerabilities or dangers.
• Grey Box Hackers: They examine a computer system’s or network’s security flaws without the owner’s permission but bring it to their knowledge later.

4.How do you avoid being poisoned by ARP?

ARP poisoning is a sort of network attack that can be mitigated using the following techniques:

• Using Packet Filtering: Packet filters can detect and stop packets with conflicting source address data.
• Avoiding trust relationships: Organizations should establish a process that relies on trust relationships as little as possible.
• Use ARP spoofing software: Some applications check and certify information before it is transmitted, and they prevent any falsified information.

5. What can a responsible hacker do?

An ethical hacker is a computer system and networking expert who methodically attempts to breach a PC framework or network for the benefit of its owners in order to discover security flaws that a hostile hacker could potentially exploit.

6. Why is Python used in hacking?

Python is the most widely used scripting language among hackers. Python has numerous crucial features that make it particularly useful for hacking; most notably, it offers some pre-assembled libraries that provide extensive capability.

7. What is the difference between pharming and defacement?

• Pharming: In this method, the attacker hacks the DNS (Domain Name System) servers or the user PC in order to redirect traffic to a malicious site.
• Defacement: The attacker uses this strategy to replace the firm’s website with an alternate page. It contains the hacker’s name, images and may even incorporate messages and background music.

8. What exactly is a Cowpatty?

Cowpatty is an offline dictionary attack against WPA/WPA2 networks that uses PSK-based verification (e.g. WPA-Personal). Cowpatty can launch an improved attack if a recomputed PMK document for the SSID being examined is available.

9. Define Network Enumeration.

Network enumeration is the discovery of hosts/devices on a network; they typically use obvious disclosure protocols, for example, ICMP and SNMP, to gather data; they may also check various ports on remote hosts for clearly known services in an attempt to further recognise the function of a remote host.

10. How can you tell the difference between phishing and spoofing?

Under the surface, phishing and spoofing are completely different. One half downloads malware to your computer or network, while the other component dupes you into handing over vital financial information to a cyber-thief. Phishing is a recovery tactic, whereas spoofing is a delivery method.

11. What exactly is network sniffing?

Sniffer technologies that enable real-time monitoring and analysis of data streaming over PC systems are use in system sniffing. Sniffers can be use for a variety of purposes, including data theft and system management. Network sniffing is use for both ethical and unethical reasons. These are use by system administrators as a system monitoring and analysis tool to analyse and avoid network-relate issues such as traffic bottlenecks. Cyber criminals use these devices for nefarious intents such as character usurpation, email, sensitive information hijacking, and so on.

12. Define network security.

Network security is simply a set of rules and configurations designed to safeguard the accessibility, confidentiality, and integrity of computer networks and data using software and hardware technologies.

13. What are the types of network security?

• Network access control: To prevent network attackers and infiltrations, network access control regulations are in place at the most granular level for both users and devices. Access authorization to network and confidential files, for example, can be assign and manage as appropriate.
• Antivirus and antimalware software are use to continuously check and guard against dangerous software, viruses, worms, ransomware, and trojans.
• Protection against firewalls: Firewalls operate as a barrier between your trusted internal network and an untrusted external network. Administrators can set up a set of established rules for allowing traffic into the network.

14. What exactly are network protocols?

A network protocol is define as a set of rules that govern how data is transfer between devices on the same network. It essentially enables communication across connected devices despite of variations in internal structure, design, or procedures. Network protocols are essential in digital communications.

15. What exactly is the CIA Triad?

• Confidentiality is the act of keeping information confidential.
• Integrity refers to the preservation of unaltered information.
• Availability: Information is always available to authorised persons.

16. Define firewall?

A firewall is a device that enables or stops traffic based on a set of rules. These are position at the interface between trusted and untrusted networks.

17. What exactly is data leakage? How are you going to detect and prevent it?

Data leaks are simply instances of data knowledge leaving the company in an unlawful manner. Data will be leak in a variety of methods, including emails, prints, laptops that are lost, illicit data transfers to public portals, portable drives, images, and so on. There are various controls that can be put in place to ensure that information is not leak; many restrictions include limiting upload on web sites, following an internal encryption answer, limiting emails to the internal network, restricting printing confidential material, and so on.

18. Define MAC Flooding.

MAC Flooding is a technique use when the security of a network switch is breach. In MAC flooding, the hacker floods the switch with more frames than the switch can manage. This causes the switch to act as a hub, transmitting all packets to all available ports. Using this, the attacker can attempt to send a packet within the network in order to steal important information.

19. Explain sniffing.

Sniffing is a method used in ethical hacking to monitor all data packets that flow over a certain network. Sniffers are mostly used to monitor and troubleshoot network traffic, and Network/System Administrators are in charge of this. Sniffers can be installed in the system as software or as hardware.

20. What are the types of Sniffing?

• Sniffing at a point-to-point network equipment known as a switch is referred to as active sniffing. The switch is in charge of regulating the data flow between its ports. This is accomplish by actively monitoring the MAC address on each port, allowing data to be passed only to the intended target. Sniffers must inject traffic into the LAN to enable sniffing of communication between targets.
• Passive sniffing: This occurs when the sniffing is done through the hub. Traffic passing via an unbridged network or a non-switched segment is transparent to all machines in that segment. Sniffers operate at the network’s data connection layer. Passive sniffing occurs when sniffers set up by attackers passively wait for data to be deliver in order to capture it.

21. What is the definition of an intrusion detection system (IDS)?

An intrusion detection system, abbreviated IDS, is a software application or device that monitors a network for malicious activity or policy violations. A security information and event management system is used to report or gather any discovered harmful activity or violation. An intrusion detection system (IDS) is one that can detect and respond to intrusions (IPS).

23. Explain Defense in Depth.

Defense in Depth (DiD) in Cybersecurity refers to a series of tiered defensive techniques used to protect sensitive data and information. If one mechanism fails, another will go into action right away to prevent unprecedented attacks. DiD’s multi-layered strategy, often known as the castle approach, strengthens a system’s security.

24. Define security operations center (SOC).

The information security team is housed in a security operations centre (SOC) as a facility. The SOC team is responsible for detecting, analysing, and responding to cyber security problems immediately by using various technology solutions and a set of processes. Security Analysts, Engineers, and Managers may be part of the team, and they will collaborate closely with the incident response team.

25. Explain penetration testing.

A penetration test, also known as a pen test, simulates a cyberattack on a computer in order to identify potential weaknesses in the system. It is frequently use to supplement a web application firewall (WAF). It can involve simulating an attack on any number of application systems, such as APIs, frontend servers, and backend servers, in order to identify any vulnerabilities. The insights gather from this type of testing can be use to tighten the WAF security policies and resolve the vulnerabilities discover.

26. Name some famous penetration testing tools.

The following are a few popular penetration testing tools:

• Netsparker
• Wireshark
• Metasploit
• BeEF
• Aircrack

27. What exactly does network traffic monitoring and analysis entail?

Network traffic monitoring and analysis is a security analytical approach and tool used by Network Security Administrators to spot flaws in connected devices that can impair accessibility, functionality, and network traffic security.

28. Explain the difference between RPO and RTO.

The recovery point goal (RPO) is concerned with backup frequency, while the recovery time objective (RTO) is concerned with the recovery timeline.

. RTO, on the other side, is the amount of downtime that a company can tolerate. It specifies how long it may take for a system to recover following a business disruption.

29. How can you keep your website from being hacked?

You may prevent your website from being hack by implementing the following methods.

• Using a Firewall: If an attack is likely, a firewall may be configure to drop traffic from questionable information processing addresses. DOS
• Cookies Encryption: Cookie or session poisoning can be ignore by encrypting the cookie content, associating cookies with the consumer information processing address, and temporally arranging out the cookies once it slows down.
• User validation and confirmation: This method is develop to prevent type tempering by confirmatively and verifiably verifying user input before processing.

30. Define Burp Suite.

Burp Suite is an all-in-one tool for attacking web applications. It includes all of the tools a hacker would require to attack any programme.

31. What is SQL injection and what are its many types?

SQL injection occurs if the application does not sanitise user input. As a result, a hostile hacker would inject SQL questions to gain unauthorised access and perform database management activities. SQL injections are of three types:

• Error-based SQL injection
• Blind SQL injection
• Time-based SQL injection

32. What exactly is a denial of service (DOS) assault, and what are the most prevalent types?

DOS assaults entail flooding servers, systems, or networks with traffic in order to overburden victim resources. This renders genuine users’ access to or use of targeted sites difficult or impossible.

 DOS attacks include:

• Buffer overflow attacks
• ICMP flood
• SYN flood
• Teardrop attack
• Smurf attack

33. Explain the various types of spoofing.

• ARP Spoofing Attack.
• DNS Spoofing Attack.
• IP Spoofing Attack.

34. What is the programming language used in hacking?

It’s best to learn all five languages: Python, C/C++, Java, Perl, and LISP. Aside from being the most important hacking languages, they represent completely distinct approaches to programming, and each of them can educate you in useful ways.

35. What exactly is a spoofing attack?

A spoofing attack occurs when a malicious party impersonates another network device or user in order to initiate attacks against network hosts, steal data, spread malware, or circumvent access controls. Malicious parties use various spoofing attacks to do this.

36. What is the difference between active and passive reconnaissance?

Passive reconnaissance is simply gathering information about targeted computers and networks while without actively participating in the systems. With contrast, in active reconnaissance, the attacker interacts with the target system, typically doing a port scan to identify any open ports.

37. Can you tell the difference between a MAC address and an IP address?

All networks and devices are allocate a unique number known as a MAC or Machine Access Control address. This address could be a personal internet mail box. The quantity can be change at any moment. All devices are assign a unique information processing address so that they may be easily locate on a given laptop and network. Anyone who knows your unique information processing address will contact you through it.

38. What is SSL, and why is it insufficient for encryption in ethical hacking?

SSL is for identity verification rather than hard encryption. It’s intend to demonstrate that the person you’re conversing with on the other end is who they claim to be. SSL and TLS are use by practically everyone online; nevertheless, due of this, it is a major target and is mostly target through its implementation (for example, the Heartbleed problem) and its well-known approach.

39. Name the different types of ethical hackers.

• Grey Box hackers or Cyberwarrior
• Black Box penetration Testers
• White Box penetration Testers
• Certified Ethical hacker

40. Explain footprinting in ethical hacking.

Footprinting is the process of gathering and uncovering as much information about a target network as possible before obtaining access to it.

Conclusion for Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (312-50) Interview Questions

To summarise, the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (312-50) is a brief exam that can help you further your career in one of ethical hacker’s critical roles, such as professional hacker, deveoper, and so on. As a result, if you want to begin with the ethcial hacker, here is a great place to begin. The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (312-50) exam is a great way to show off your ethical hacking knowledge. You can also put the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (312-50) badge on your CV to get the attention of recruiters who are continuously looking for Certified Ethical Hacker.