Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What is the primary goal of session hijacking?

1. To disrupt user access

2. To steal confidential information

3. To take control of user sessions

4. To monitor user activity

The correct answer is: To take control of user sessions

The primary goal of session hijacking is to take control of user sessions. In this type of attack, an adversary exploits a valid computer session to gain unauthorized access to information or services in a system. By hijacking a session, the attacker can impersonate the legitimate user and perform actions as if they were the user, potentially accessing sensitive data and resources without detection. This goal centers around intercepting or manipulating session information, such as session cookies or tokens, which are used to maintain authenticated sessions. Once an attacker gains control, they can execute commands, access personal information, and even alter the behavior of the session to their advantage. This is why understanding session management and security is crucial in protecting against such threats. While there are other motives that attackers may have, such as disrupting access or monitoring activity, those actions are generally means to an end rather than the primary focus of session hijacking itself. The essence of the attack lies in exploiting a session to assert control over user actions and information flow.