CPENT Active Directory Attacks Practice Question
When conducting an advanced Active Directory penetration test, which THREE techniques can be used to extract or abuse credentials without interacting with LSASS directly on a domain controller?
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
✓
Executing Kerberoasting against service principal names to crack hashes offline
Avoiding LSASS interaction can be achieved via DCSync (DRSUAPI replication), Kerberoasting (offline cracking of TGS), and NTDS.dit extraction using Volume Shadow Copies (VSS).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Executing Kerberoasting against service principal names to crack hashes offline
Why this is correct
Kerberoasting targets ticket requests and does not require touching LSASS on domain controllers.
- ✓
Performing a DCSync attack via DRSUAPI replication requests
Why this is correct
DCSync extracts secrets over the network using replication protocols without needing local LSASS access on the DC.
- ✓
Extracting NTDS.dit and SYSTEM hive using Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)
Why this is correct
VSS allows backing up and extracting the NTDS.dit database file from disk storage offline.
- ✗
Running procdump.exe against the lsass.exe process on the domain controller
Why it's wrong here
ProcDump interacts directly with LSASS memory, which violates the premise of avoiding LSASS.
- ✗
Injecting DLL payloads into the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service
Why it's wrong here
DLL injection directly modifies and interacts with the LSASS process.
Visual reference
About these practice questions
This CPENT question is part of Courseiva's 276-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official EC-Council exam blueprint
This CPENT 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 CPENT exam.