Sarah, an ethical hacker at a San Francisco-based financial firm, is testing the security of their customer database after a recent data exposure incident. Her analysis reveals that the sensitive client information is safeguarded using a symmetric encryption algorithm. She observes that the algorithm processes data in 64-bit blocks and supports a variable key size from 32 to 448 bits. During her penetration test, Sarah intercepts a ciphertext transmission and notes that the encryption was developed as a replacement for DES, an older algorithm. She aims to determine if the algorithm’s flexible key size could be susceptible to brute-force attacks. The algorithm is also noted for its use in secure storage, a critical application for the firm’s data protection.
Which symmetric encryption algorithm should Sarah identify as the one used by the firm?
During LDAP-based enumeration, you observe that some critical information cannot be retrieved. What is the most likely reason?
A penetration tester discovers malware on a system that disguises itself as legitimate software but performs malicious actions in the background. What type of malware is this?
John, a penetration tester at a Los Angeles-based online gaming company, is analyzing the company ' s cloud infrastructure after a recent security breach caused unexpected downtime and delayed alerts. His investigation reveals that the attackers remained undetected, due to the absence of mechanisms that track function-level activity and capture anomalous events. The backend architecture for matchmaking and in-game purchases is serverless, increasing the importance of robust security measures.
So, which cloud computing threat should John prioritize to prevent similar breaches?