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CEH Scanning Networks and Enumeration Practice Question
Drag and drop the steps to conduct a penetration test using the CEH methodology into the correct order.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
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Reconnaissance, Scanning, Gaining Access, Maintaining Access, Covering Tracks
The CEH methodology follows: Reconnaissance, Scanning, Gaining Access, Maintaining Access, Covering Tracks.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Reconnaissance, Scanning, Gaining Access, Maintaining Access, Covering Tracks
Why this is correct
This sequence accurately reflects the standard phases of a penetration test, as defined by the CEH methodology. Reconnaissance involves passive and active information gathering to understand the target environment. Scanning then uses this intelligence to identify live hosts, open ports, and potential vulnerabilities. Gaining Access exploits these vulnerabilities, followed by Maintaining Access to ensure persistent control. Finally, Covering Tracks removes forensic evidence of the intrusion.
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Scanning, Reconnaissance, Gaining Access, Maintaining Access, Covering Tracks
Why it's wrong here
Initiating a penetration test with Scanning before Reconnaissance is fundamentally inefficient and often ineffective. Without prior information gathering, such as target scope, IP ranges, or domain names, the scanning phase lacks direction and context. Reconnaissance provides the essential intelligence required to conduct targeted and meaningful scans, identifying specific assets and services for vulnerability assessment.
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Reconnaissance, Scanning, Gaining Access, Covering Tracks, Maintaining Access
Why it's wrong here
This order is incorrect because Covering Tracks should always occur after Maintaining Access. The objective of Maintaining Access is to establish persistence within the compromised system, ensuring the attacker can re-enter at will. Attempting to cover tracks before securing this persistent access risks losing the foothold entirely, making subsequent re-entry significantly more challenging or impossible.
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Gaining Access, Reconnaissance, Scanning, Maintaining Access, Covering Tracks
Why it's wrong here
Starting a penetration test with Gaining Access is illogical and practically impossible without prior preparatory steps. Successful exploitation requires a thorough understanding of the target's attack surface, which is derived from Reconnaissance and Scanning. These initial phases identify potential entry points and vulnerabilities, making a targeted and successful Gaining Access attempt feasible.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Footprinting and Reconnaissance
Key term
Persistence Mechanisms
Techniques used by attackers to maintain long-term access to a compromised system after an initial breach.
Key term
Nmap Scanning
Nmap scanning is a method used to discover devices running on a network and find open ports, services, and security weaknesses.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CEH question from scratch — 870 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CEH exam.