Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What type of attack requires the attacker to be physically close to the chip to gather sensitive information?

1. Non-invasive attacks

2. Injection attacks

3. Remote attacks

4. Social engineering attacks

The correct answer is: Non-invasive attacks

The correct choice involves non-invasive attacks, which specifically require the attacker to be in close proximity to the chip. Non-invasive attacks take advantage of vulnerabilities that can be exploited without interfering with the chip’s normal operations or actions, such as monitoring power consumption or electromagnetic emissions. These attacks often rely on specialized equipment to gather information like cryptographic keys or other sensitive data emitted by the chip while it operates. In contrast, injection attacks and remote attacks do not require physical proximity to the target device. Injection attacks typically exploit software vulnerabilities by inserting malicious code into a system, while remote attacks can be executed over a network, allowing attackers to target systems from a distance. Social engineering attacks involve manipulating individuals to gain confidential information, which is also not dependent on physical proximity to a hardware component. Thus, the nature of non-invasive attacks distinctly necessitates physical closeness to effectively gather sensitive information, making it the correct answer.