Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A penetration tester has gained low-privilege access on a Windows 10 machine. The tester discovers that a service runs with SYSTEM privileges and has the following binary path: C:\Program Files\MyApp\service.exe. The path is unquoted. Which exploitation technique is most likely to allow the tester to escalate privileges?
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
Create a malicious executable named 'C:\Program.exe' and place it in the root of C:.
This could work if the path started with 'C:\Program', but the actual path is 'C:\Program Files\MyApp\service.exe'. The first space after 'C:\Program' would cause Windows to attempt to execute 'C:\Program.exe', but placing a file in the root requires write access to C:\, which is unlikely for a low-privileged user.
B
Best answer
Create a malicious executable named 'MyApp.exe' and place it in C:\Program Files\.
Correct. Because the service path is unquoted, Windows will first try to execute 'C:\Program.exe', but that does not exist. It then tries 'C:\Program Files\MyApp.exe'. If the tester can write to 'C:\Program Files\', they can place a malicious 'MyApp.exe' there. When the service starts, it will run the malicious executable with SYSTEM privileges.
C
Distractor review
Modify the service's binary path in the registry to point to a malicious executable.
Modifying the service's binary path in the registry typically requires administrative privileges. Since the tester has only low-privileged access, this approach is not feasible.
D
Distractor review
Use SeImpersonatePrivilege to impersonate the SYSTEM account and directly modify the service.
SeImpersonatePrivilege allows impersonation of a token, but it does not grant the ability to modify services or write to protected directories. This privilege is more commonly used in token manipulation attacks like Juicy Potato, not for exploiting unquoted service paths.
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: Create a malicious executable named 'MyApp.exe' and place it in C:\Program Files\. — An unquoted service path vulnerability occurs when the path contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotes. Windows will interpret the path up to the first space as the executable name. If the tester can write to a directory earlier in the path (e.g., C:\Program Files\MyApp\), they can place a malicious executable named 'MyApp.exe' in the 'C:\Program Files\' directory. When the service starts, Windows will execute this malicious file instead of the intended service, running with SYSTEM privileges. This is a common privilege escalation technique.
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.