Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What attack technique did Austen use to extract information about encryption keys from IoT devices?

1. Social engineering attack

2. Side-channel attack

3. SQL injection attack

4. Phishing attack

The correct answer is: Side-channel attack

The technique used to extract information about encryption keys from IoT devices is a side-channel attack. This method leverages information gained from the physical implementation of a system, rather than directly exploiting weaknesses in the algorithms or protocols. In the context of IoT devices, attackers can analyze timing information, power consumption, electromagnetic leaks, or even sound emissions to gain insights into the internal workings of the device, which may reveal sensitive data such as encryption keys. Side-channel attacks are particularly effective against IoT devices, as these devices often have limited computational resources, making them potentially more vulnerable to such analyses. By focusing on how the device behaves under certain conditions (like processing or encrypting data), an attacker can infer key information without needing to access the device’s software directly or manipulate its logic. Other techniques listed, such as social engineering, SQL injection, and phishing, operate on different principles and contexts, primarily targeting user behavior or exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications and user interactions, rather than extracting information through physical observation or measurement of a device's operational parameters.