Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What is a common result of poor session management practices?

1. Increased page load times

2. User account takeover

3. Reduced server costs

4. Enhanced user engagement

The correct answer is: User account takeover

Poor session management practices can lead to user account takeover, which is a significant security risk. When session management is not handled properly, it may allow unauthorized individuals to hijack active user sessions. This can happen through various means, such as session fixation or session hijacking, where an attacker can steal or guess another user's session identifier. If an attacker successfully takes over a user's session, they can impersonate that user, gaining access to sensitive information, making unauthorized transactions, or violating privacy, leading to severe consequences for both users and the organization. The other options do not relate directly to the implications of poor session management. Increased page load times and reduced server costs are typically influenced by other factors such as server performance and resource allocation rather than session management. Enhanced user engagement is a positive outcome that is not associated with poor session management practices; instead, effective session management is crucial for maintaining user trust and security.