The answer is a Silver Ticket attack. This is the correct choice because it allows a penetration tester to forge a Kerberos service ticket (TGS) for a specific service, such as the SQL server, using only the NTLM hash of the service account—no plaintext password or domain controller interaction is required. On the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-002 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of Kerberos authentication weaknesses and the distinction between Silver and Golden tickets; a common trap is confusing a Silver Ticket with a Golden Ticket, which requires the KRBTGT hash for domain-wide access. Remember that a Silver Ticket is service-specific and uses the service account’s hash, while a Golden Ticket grants full domain control. Memory tip: “Silver is specific, Golden is global.”
PT0-002 Attacks and Exploits Practice Question
This PT0-002 practice question tests your understanding of attacks and exploits. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A penetration tester has obtained the NTLM hash of a service account during an internal test. The tester wants to gain access to a specific SQL server that uses Kerberos authentication. The tester does not know the plaintext password. Which attack is MOST appropriate to forge a service ticket for the SQL server?
The Silver Ticket attack creates a forged TGS ticket for a specific service using the service account's hash, granting access to that service.
B
Golden Ticket attack
Why wrong: A Golden Ticket requires the KRBTGT hash and grants domain admin access to all services, which is more than needed and requires higher privileges.
C
Pass-the-hash attack
Why wrong: Pass-the-hash is used for NTLM authentication, not for forging Kerberos tickets.
D
SMB relay attack
Why wrong: SMB relay captures and relays hashes to authenticate, but does not forge Kerberos tickets.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Silver Ticket attack
A Silver Ticket attack is the most appropriate because it forges a service ticket (TGS) for a specific service, such as the SQL server, using the NTLM hash of the service account. Since the tester has the NTLM hash but not the plaintext password, they can craft a valid Kerberos service ticket without needing to authenticate to the domain controller, directly granting access to the SQL server.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Silver Ticket attack
Why this is correct
The Silver Ticket attack creates a forged TGS ticket for a specific service using the service account's hash, granting access to that service.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Golden Ticket attack
Why it's wrong here
A Golden Ticket requires the KRBTGT hash and grants domain admin access to all services, which is more than needed and requires higher privileges.
✗
Pass-the-hash attack
Why it's wrong here
Pass-the-hash is used for NTLM authentication, not for forging Kerberos tickets.
✗
SMB relay attack
Why it's wrong here
SMB relay captures and relays hashes to authenticate, but does not forge Kerberos tickets.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Silver Ticket attacks (forging service tickets) with Golden Ticket attacks (forging TGTs), but the key distinction is that a Silver Ticket targets a specific service using the service account's hash, while a Golden Ticket grants domain-wide access using the KRBTGT hash.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a Silver Ticket attack, the tester uses the service account's NTLM hash to encrypt a forged TGS ticket, which includes the desired privileges (e.g., service principal name for the SQL server). The forged ticket is then presented to the Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) or directly to the target service, bypassing the need for a TGT or domain controller interaction. This attack works because the service ticket is validated by the target service using its own password hash, not the domain controller's KRBTGT hash.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PT0-002 question in full detail.
Attacks and Exploits — This question tests Attacks and Exploits — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Silver Ticket attack — A Silver Ticket attack is the most appropriate because it forges a service ticket (TGS) for a specific service, such as the SQL server, using the NTLM hash of the service account. Since the tester has the NTLM hash but not the plaintext password, they can craft a valid Kerberos service ticket without needing to authenticate to the domain controller, directly granting access to the SQL server.
What should I do if I get this PT0-002 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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