Ethical Hacking Overview

Hands-On Ethical Hacking and Network Defense, Edition 4

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• Copyright © 2023 Cengage.

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Icebreaker: Interview Simulation

• Class will be divided into pairs of students.
• Each pair interviews one another to discover interesting or unusual facts about each other.
• Each pair will introduce the other member to the class.
• Discussion prompts:
  • Share a personal story related to hacking.
  • Discuss whether hacking can be considered ethical.

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Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Describe the role of an ethical hacker.
• Explain what you can do legally as an ethical hacker.
• Explain what you cannot do as an ethical hacker.

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Introduction to Ethical Hacking

• Ethical Hackers: Professionals hired by companies to conduct penetration tests.
• Penetration Test: An attempt to break into a company’s network to find vulnerabilities.
• Vulnerability Assessment: Enumeration of all vulnerabilities found in an application or on a system.
• Security Test: Analysis of a company’s security policy and procedures, reporting any vulnerabilities to management.

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The Role of Security and Penetration Testers (1 of 5)

• Hackers: Access systems or networks without authorization (considered illegal).
• Crackers: Hackers who steal or destroy data.
• U.S. Department of Justice: Views all unauthorized access as hacking.
• Ethical Hacker: Conducts similar activities as hackers, but with permission from the owner.

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The Role of Security and Penetration Testers (2 of 5)

• Script Kiddies or Packet Monkeys: Inexperienced individuals who use code or tools created by others without understanding how they work.
• Programs/Scripts Used: Experienced penetration testers’ tools for conducting attacks include languages like Python, Ruby, Perl, and C.
• Script: A set of instructions that runs sequentially to perform tasks on a computer system.

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The Role of Security and Penetration Testers (3 of 5)

• Hacktivist: Individuals who hack systems for political or social reasons.
• Penetration Testers: Typically utilize portable computers with multiple operating systems and hacking tools.

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The Role of Security and Penetration Testers (4 of 5)

• Job Responsibilities:
  • Conduct vulnerability, attack, and penetration assessments in various environments (Internet, Intranet, Wireless).
  • Perform discovery and scanning for open ports and services.
  • Execute appropriate exploits to gain and expand access.

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The Role of Security and Penetration Testers (5 of 5)

• Activities:
  • Engage in application penetration testing and source code review.
  • Liaise with clients throughout the engagement.
  • Document findings in reports and debrief clients after each engagement.
  • Conduct research and provide recommendations for continuous improvement.
  • Ensure knowledge of current cyber laws at the jurisdiction level.

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Polling Activity 1-1

• Question: An ethical hacker is also known as a/an _.
  • Options:
  • Penetration tester
  • Administrative tester
  • Continuity tester
  • High Pot tester

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Polling Activity 1-1: Answer

• Correct Answer: a. penetration tester
• An ethical hacker is referred to as a “security tester” or a “penetration tester.”

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Knowledge Check Activity 1-1

• Question: The U.S. Department of Justice defines a hacker as which of the following?
  • a. A person who accesses a computer or network without the owner’s permission.
  • b. A penetration tester.
  • c. A person who uses phone services without payment.
  • d. A person who accesses a computer or network system with the owner's permission.

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Knowledge Check Activity 1-1: Answer

• Correct Answer: a. A person who accesses a computer or network without the owner’s permission.
• The Department of Justice categorizes all unauthorized access as hacking.

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Penetration-Testing Methodologies (1 of 3)

• White Box Model:
  • Tester has full knowledge of the network topology and technology.
  • Access to floor plans and interviews with IT personnel allowed.
  • Simplifies the tester’s task.
• Black Box Model:
  • Testing done without staff awareness.
  • Tester does not receive any detailed diagrams.
  • Challenges the tester to identify details using various techniques.
  • Assesses security personnel's detection capabilities.

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Penetration-Testing Methodologies (2 of 3)

• Gray Box Model:
  • Hybrid model providing partial information to the tester by the company.
  • Example: Only operational systems (OSs) are disclosed, no network diagrams provided.

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Penetration-Testing Methodologies (3 of 3)

• Figure 1-1: Sample floor plan (visual aid).

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Certification Programs for Network Security Personnel

• Certification programs exist across network security areas.
• Minimum required certification: CompTIA Security+ or equivalent knowledge.
• Prerequisite: CompTIA Network+ level of understanding is required for Security+ certification.

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CompTIA PenTest+

• Advanced certification validating skills to:
  • Plan and scope an assessment.
  • Understand legal and compliance requirements.
  • Perform vulnerability scanning and penetration testing.
  • Analyze data.
  • Effectively report and communicate results.

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Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)

• OSCP: Advanced certification requiring hands-on abilities.
• Covers network and application exploits, including:
  • Developing basic buffer overflows.
  • Scripting for data manipulation.
  • Conducting exploits on vulnerable systems.

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Certified Ethical Hacker

• Developed by the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council).
• The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) exam consists of 22 domains.
• Team Composition: Members are often assigned to a Red team for penetration tests, combining varied skills.

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O S S T M M Professional Security Tester (OPST)

• Certification designated by the Institute for Security and Open Methodologies (ISECOM).
• Uses O S S T M M as the standard methodology documentation.
• Key teachings include professional conduct, enumeration, assessments, application, and verification (written by Peter Herzog).

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Certified Information Systems Security Professional (C I S S P)

• Issued by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2).
• Focus: managerial skills in security, not overtly technical.
• Exam includes questions from ten domains related to policies and procedures.

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SANS Institute

• Offers training and IT security certifications through Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC).
• The Top 25 Software Errors list is a renowned document detailing common network exploits and mitigation strategies.

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Which Certification Is Best?

• Essential skills for penetration testers:
  • Technical acumen.
  • Understanding of networking and organizational management roles.
  • Proficiency in communication (written and verbal).
  • Eagerness to keep learning and growing.
• Certification Risks: Some simply memorize terminology without comprehensive understanding of complex concepts.

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Knowledge Check Activity 1-2

• Question: A team composed of varied skills attempting to penetrate a network is called?
  • a. Green team.
  • b. Blue team.
  • c. Black team.
  • d. Red team.

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Knowledge Check Activity 1-2: Answer

• Correct Answer: d. Red team.
• A Red team includes skilled individuals, such as programming experts capable of performing SQL injections and other vulnerability tests.

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Discussion Activity 1-1

• Scenario: Dan, a “packet monkey,” uses prewritten scripts for unauthorized access.
• Discuss the origins of terms such as packet monkeys or script kiddies.

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Discussion Activity 1-1: Answer

• Explanation:
  • Script Kiddies/Packet Monkeys: Refers to inexperienced hackers who replicate the work of skilled programmers without true comprehension.

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What You Can Do Legally

• Technology laws evolve as quickly as technology.
• Responsibilities as a security tester include:
  • Staying informed on local laws.
  • Understanding legally permitted actions.
  • Example: Possession of lockpicking tools may be illegal in some areas.

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Laws of the Land

• Legality of Hacking Tools:
  • Possessing hacking tools may constitute a crime.
  • Consult local law enforcement before installing hacking tools.
• Intent is often required for prosecution; for instance, in Hawaii, intent to commit a crime must be proven.

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Overview of Recent Hacking Cases (1 of 3)

• Kansas, 2021: Charges against a resident for tampering with public water systems and unauthorized access to protected computers, potentially facing 25 years in prison.
• California, 2021: An IT worker deleted user accounts from a company's network retaliatory action after termination; sentenced to two years in prison and fined over $560,000.

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Overview of Recent Hacking Cases (2 of 3)

• Nevada, 2021: A Russian national bribed a Tesla employee with $1 million to install malware for data extraction.
• Atlanta, 2021: A Cypriot teenager hacked websites and demanded ransom; he was extradited and sentenced federally.

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Overview of Recent Hacking Cases (3 of 3)

• New Jersey, 2021: An employee of a data analytics firm stole confidential information to sell; sentenced to three years of supervision.
• Florida, 2021: An assistant principal manipulated student voting via unauthorized access; both the principal and her daughter faced legal consequences.

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Is Port Scanning Legal? (1 of 3)

• Varies by state; some view it as noninvasive and legal.
• Caution advised when employing penetration-testing tools.
• Federal government sees infringements like port scanning constitutionally permissible; states regulate differently.
• Research local laws before using penetration-testing techniques.

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Is Port Scanning Legal? (2 of 3)

• Figure 1-3: Sample acceptable use policy (visual aid).

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Is Port Scanning Legal? (3 of 3)

• IRC Bot: Automates responses to users to mimic a human presence in communication.
• VPN Considerations: Assess if connected through a VPN when conducting scans; this could inadvertently affect corporate networks.

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Federal Computer Crime Laws (1 of 4)

• No Electronic Theft Act: Extends criminal copyright law to include digital means of crime (17 U.S.C. § 501(a)(1)).
• Economic Espionage Act (EEA): Protects trade secrets, essential for societal operations.
• Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA): Makes unauthorized access to classified information a federal crime (Title 18, Chapter 47).

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Federal Computer Crime Laws (2 of 4)

• Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act (ITADA): Criminalizes identity theft and helps assess victims' losses.
• Electronic Communication Privacy Act: Prohibits interception of communications (Title 18, Chapter 119).
• U.S. PATRIOT Act, Sec. 217: Amends privacy laws and allows monitoring of cyber trespassers by victims.

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Federal Computer Crime Laws (3 of 4)

• Homeland Security Act of 2002: Specifies sentencing guidelines for computer crimes.
• CFAA: Criminalizes unauthorized use of telecommunications devices or services (Title 18, Sec. 1029).

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Federal Computer Crime Laws (4 of 4)

• Stored Communications Act: Defines unlawful access and disclosure relating to stored communications (Title 18, Chapter 121).

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Polling Activity 1-2

• Question: What part of your ISP contract affects your ability to perform web-based penetration tests?
  • Options:
  • Scanning policy
  • Port access policy
  • Acceptable use policy
  • Warranty policy

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Polling Activity 1-2: Answer

• Correct Answer: c. Acceptable use policy.
• It is crucial to familiarize yourself with state laws and ISP contracts before deploying penetration-testing tools.

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What You Cannot Do Legally

• Illegal Actions:
  • Accessing a computer without permission.
  • Destroying data without permission.
  • Copying information without permission.
  • Installing viruses on networks.
  • Denying users access to network resources.
• Ethical conduct must be prioritized to avoid disrupting clients' operations.

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Get It in Writing

• Contracts offer legal protection and clarity in business engagements.
• Consider literature on consulting for insight into effective contract practices.
• Online resources may provide free contract templates.
• Seek legal advice before signing any contracts.

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Ethical Hacking in a Nutshell

• Critical Skills for Security Testers:
  • Proficiency in network and computer technology.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with management and IT personnel.
  • Understanding applicable laws and regulations.
  • Capacity to use necessary tools to accomplish tasks.

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Self-Assessment

• Review the varied state and federal laws regarding computer crimes.
• Analyze the legal and ethical issues associated with hacktivism.

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Summary

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe the responsibilities and role of an ethical hacker.
• Understand legal permissions and restrictions applicable to ethical hacking.