A penetration tester is analyzing a PowerShell script that uses the 'Invoke-Command' cmdlet to execute commands on remote machines, and 'Set-Service' to change service startup types. What attack is this script most likely performing?
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.
Best answer
Remote service modification for persistence.
By using Invoke-Command to run Set-Service on remote machines, the attacker can enable services or set them to auto-start, ensuring their backdoor continues to run after restart.
Distractor review
Lateral movement via PsExec.
While Invoke-Command can be used for lateral movement, the script does not show service creation or binary execution. Set-Service is specifically about changing service configuration, not executing commands as a service.
Distractor review
Credential dumping.
Credential dumping would involve accessing LSASS or the SAM database. This script does not include any credential access techniques like Invoke-Mimikatz.
Distractor review
Data exfiltration.
Data exfiltration would involve transferring files or data off the network. There is no indication of data transfer or compression in the described script.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Related practice questions
Related PT0-002 practice-question pages
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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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Remote service modification for persistence. — The combination of remote command execution (Invoke-Command) and service manipulation (Set-Service) suggests an attack focused on establishing persistence or enabling malicious services on remote systems. Changing a service's startup type to 'Automatic' ensures that a malicious service (or a modified legitimate service) will start upon boot, maintaining access after a reboot. This is a common technique for persistence in post-exploitation.
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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