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A penetration tester has compromised a Linux server and gained a low-privilege shell. The tester discovers that the /etc/shadow file is readable by the tester's user. Which attack is most directly enabled by this finding?

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A penetration tester has compromised a Linux server and gained a low-privilege shell. The tester discovers that the /etc/shadow file is readable by the tester's user. Which attack is most directly enabled by this finding?

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Answer choices

Why each option matters

Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.

A

Distractor review

Pass-the-hash

Pass-the-hash is a Windows-specific attack that uses NTLM hashes to authenticate without the plaintext password. It is not applicable to Linux shadow hashes.

B

Best answer

Password cracking offline

Reading /etc/shadow directly enables offline password cracking because the hashes can be extracted and attacked with tools like John the Ripper or Hashcat.

C

Distractor review

LLMNR poisoning

LLMNR poisoning is a Windows network attack that captures hashes by responding to name resolution requests. It does not leverage a readable shadow file.

D

Distractor review

Kerberoasting

Kerberoasting targets Kerberos service tickets in Active Directory environments, not Linux shadow hashes.

Common exam trap

Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization

Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.

Technical deep dive

How to think about this question

This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Authentication checks who the user is.
  • Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
  • Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
  • AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.

TExam Day Tips

  • Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
  • Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
  • Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.

Related practice questions

Related PT0-002 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

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More questions from this exam

Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.

Question 1

A penetration tester is writing the executive summary for a report. The client's CEO needs to understand the business impact of a critical SQL injection vulnerability. Which of the following should the tester include?

Question 2

A penetration tester has gained a low-privileged shell on a Linux server. During enumeration, the tester discovers a binary with the SUID bit set that belongs to root and is known to have a buffer overflow vulnerability. What is the MOST effective next step to escalate privileges?

Question 3

A penetration tester is performing passive reconnaissance against a target domain. Which of the following resources can be used to gather information about the target without directly sending packets to the target's network? (Select two.) (Choose 2.)

Question 4

A penetration tester has obtained a TGT from a domain controller by cracking the krbtgt hash. Which attack can the tester now perform to gain persistent administrative access to any resource in the domain?

Question 5

A penetration tester is writing the executive summary for the final report. The CEO needs to understand the overall risk level and the business impact of the findings. Which of the following should be included in the executive summary?

Question 6

A penetration tester is writing the executive summary of a penetration test report. Which of the following elements is MOST important to include for a non-technical audience?

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this PT0-002 question test?

Authentication checks who the user is.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Password cracking offline — The /etc/shadow file contains password hashes for local user accounts. If a low-privilege user can read this file, the tester can copy the hashes and attempt to crack them offline, potentially gaining the passwords of other users, including root.

What should I do if I get this PT0-002 question wrong?

Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.

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