Exam PT0-002 topic 1 question 121 discussion

Actual exam question from CompTIA's PT0-002

Question #: 121
Topic #: 1

A penetration tester is evaluating a company's network perimeter. The tester has received limited information about defensive controls or countermeasures, and limited internal knowledge of the testing exists. Which of the following should be the FIRST step to plan the reconnaissance activities?

A. Launch an external scan of netblocks.
B. Check WHOIS and netblock records for the company.
C. Use DNS lookups and dig to determine the external hosts.
D. Conduct a ping sweep of the company's netblocks.

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Suggested Answer: B 🗳️

by NotAHackerJustYet at Feb. 4, 2023, 11:38 p.m.

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NotAHackerJustYet

Highly Voted 2 years, 3 months ago

Selected Answer: B

The correct answer is B. Check WHOIS and netblock records for the company. B: Checking WHOIS and netblock records for the company is the best option to start the reconnaissance activities. WHOIS records are a good source of information to understand the scope of the network and the range of IP addresses used by the company. Netblock records, on the other hand, provide information on the Internet Service Provider (ISP) used by the company and the type of services they provide. This information can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

upvoted 7 times

NotAHackerJustYet

2 years, 3 months ago

A: Launching an external scan of netblocks is not the first step for the tester to plan their reconnaissance activities. This type of scan is used to detect open ports on a system, which is not useful in the initial stages of planning reconnaissance activities. C: Using DNS lookups and dig to determine the external hosts is not the first step for the tester to plan their reconnaissance activities. DNS lookups and dig can be used to identify domain names, but they are not effective at identifying IP addresses and netblocks. D: Conducting a ping sweep of the company's netblocks is not the first step for the tester to plan their reconnaissance activities. A ping sweep is used to detect live hosts on a network, but it does not provide information about the scope of the network or the range of IP addresses used by the company.

upvoted 3 times

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Etc_Shadow28000

Most Recent 10 months, 3 weeks ago

Selected Answer: B

B. Check WHOIS and netblock records for the company. Explanation: • WHOIS and netblock records provide essential information about the ownership of IP addresses, domain names, and associated netblocks. This information is publicly available and helps identify the scope of the company’s external-facing assets without alerting the company’s defenses. • WHOIS queries can reveal details about domain registration, including contact information, which might give insights into the organization’s structure. • Netblock records will help identify the range of IP addresses allocated to the company, which is critical for mapping the external network perimeter.

upvoted 1 times

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solutionz

1 year, 9 months ago

Selected Answer: B

In the initial phase of reconnaissance, particularly when information is limited, a penetration tester typically starts by collecting publicly available information. Among the options provided, B. Check WHOIS and netblock records for the company would be the FIRST step in planning the reconnaissance activities.

upvoted 1 times

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