Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

Which type of protocol is typically vulnerable to session hijacking due to lack of encryption?

1. FTP

2. HTTPS

3. SSH

4. SMTP

The correct answer is: FTP

The type of protocol that is typically vulnerable to session hijacking due to a lack of encryption is FTP. FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, transmits data in plaintext, which means that any user with access to the network can intercept and read this data. This lack of encryption allows attackers to capture session identifiers, credentials, and any data being transferred, making it easier for them to hijack an active session. In contrast, HTTPS and SSH both implement encryption to secure data transmission. HTTPS uses SSL/TLS to encrypt communication between a client and server, protecting against eavesdropping and session hijacking. SSH provides a secure channel over an unsecured network by using encryption, which means the data exchanged during the session is protected. SMTP, while it does have secure versions (like SMTPS), inherently does not provide encryption in its basic form, but it still does not present the same level of vulnerability to session hijacking as FTP. Thus, FTP's lack of inherent encryption makes it particularly susceptible to these types of attacks.