Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What vulnerability did Jack exploit to hijack session IDs by creating a forged valid session ID?

1. Weak Authentication Protocols

2. Weak session ID generation

3. Insecure encryption methods

4. Failure in network monitoring

The correct answer is: Weak session ID generation

The correct response highlights weak session ID generation as a significant vulnerability that can lead to session hijacking. In the context of web applications, session IDs are critical for maintaining user state during interactions. If the mechanisms used to generate these IDs are predictable or not sufficiently randomized, an attacker can anticipate or forge a valid session ID. This allows them to impersonate the original user and gain unauthorized access to their session and the associated sensitive data. When session IDs lack complexity or entropy, it becomes feasible for attackers to utilize techniques like brute forcing or session fixation attacks. Therefore, the vulnerability arising from weak session ID generation directly facilitates the scenario where an attacker like Jack could successfully create a forged valid session ID and hijack an active session. This underscores the importance of employing secure and robust methods for session ID creation in order to protect against such exploits.