Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A penetration tester has gained a foothold on a Windows server running IIS. The tester wants to perform an SMB relay attack to move laterally within the domain. Which of the following conditions must be met for this attack to succeed?
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
Best answer
The target server must have SMB signing disabled or not enforced
SMB signing prevents relay attacks because the relayed authentication would lack the required signature, causing the target to reject the connection. Without signing enforced, the relay is possible.
B
Distractor review
The tester must have local administrator privileges on the IIS server
Local admin privileges may help capture traffic but are not strictly required for relaying; the attack relies on capturing an authentication attempt via a technique like responder or a man-in-the-middle position.
C
Distractor review
The target server must be running SMBv1
While SMBv1 has more vulnerabilities, SMB relay attacks work across SMBv2 and v3 as long as signing is not enforced.
D
Distractor review
The tester must have a valid domain user account to trigger the relay
The relay attack captures whatever authentication challenge is presented; the attacker does not need a valid account beforehand, only the ability to intercept NTLM authentication (e.g., by tricking a user or service to authenticate to the attacker's machine).
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.
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: The target server must have SMB signing disabled or not enforced — SMB relay attacks typically require the target system to have SMB signing disabled or not enforced. If SMB signing is required, the attacker cannot relay the authentication because the signature would be invalid. The relay works by capturing an NTLM authentication attempt and forwarding it to another server that trusts the credentials.
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.
Discussion
Loading comments…
Sign in to join the discussion.