1. What is Ethical Hacking?
Ethical hacking is the practice of legally testing systems, networks, or applications to find security vulnerabilities.
It is done with permission to improve security and prevent malicious attacks.
2. Who is an Ethical Hacker?
An ethical hacker is a cybersecurity professional who uses hacking techniques to identify weaknesses in systems.
They follow legal guidelines and help organizations secure their infrastructure.
3. What is the difference between Ethical Hacking and Illegal Hacking?
Ethical hacking is performed with authorization and aims to improve security. Illegal hacking is done without permission and is considered a cybercrime.
4. What are the types of hackers?
Common types include white hat (ethical), black hat (malicious), and gray hat hackers. There are also script kiddies, hacktivists, and state-sponsored hackers.
5. What is penetration testing?
Penetration testing is a simulated cyberattack conducted to evaluate system security. It helps identify vulnerabilities before real attackers can exploit them.
6. What are the phases of ethical hacking?
The main phases are reconnaissance, scanning, gaining access, maintaining access, and clearing tracks. These steps help hackers systematically assess system security.
7. What is reconnaissance?
Reconnaissance is the information-gathering phase of hacking. It involves collecting details like IP addresses, domains, and network architecture.
8. What is footprinting?
Footprinting is a part of reconnaissance used to gather information about a target system. It can be done actively or passively without alerting the target.
9. What is scanning?
Scanning involves identifying live hosts, open ports, and services in a network. Tools like Nmap are commonly used for this purpose.
10. What is Nmap?
Nmap is a network scanning tool used to discover hosts and services. It helps ethical hackers understand network structure and potential vulnerabilities.
11. What is a vulnerability?
A vulnerability is a weakness in a system that can be exploited by attackers. It may exist due to misconfigurations, outdated software, or coding flaws.
12. What is an exploit?
An exploit is a method or code used to take advantage of a vulnerability. Attackers use exploits to gain unauthorized access or perform malicious actions.
13. What is Metasploit?
Metasploit is a penetration testing framework used to develop and execute exploits. It is widely used by ethical hackers for testing system defenses.
14. What is Kali Linux?
Kali Linux is a penetration testing operating system. It comes pre-installed with hundreds of security and hacking tools.
15. What is the OWASP Top 10?
OWASP Top 10 is a list of the most critical web application security risks. It helps developers and testers focus on common and serious vulnerabilities.
16. What is SQL Injection?
SQL Injection is a web attack that manipulates database queries. It allows attackers to access, modify, or delete database data.
17. What is Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)?
XSS is a vulnerability where malicious scripts are injected into web pages. These scripts run in a victim’s browser and can steal sensitive data.
18. What is CSRF?
CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) tricks users into performing unwanted actions. It exploits authenticated sessions to perform malicious requests.
19. What is a firewall?
A firewall is a security system that monitors and controls network traffic. It blocks unauthorized access based on predefined security rules.
20. What is IDS and IPS?
IDS (Intrusion Detection System) monitors traffic for suspicious activity. IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) actively blocks detected threats.
21. What is encryption?
Encryption is the process of converting data into unreadable form. It ensures data confidentiality during storage or transmission.
22. What is hashing?
Hashing converts data into a fixed-length value using algorithms. It is commonly used for password storage and integrity checks.
23. What is brute force attack?
A brute force attack tries multiple password combinations until success. It is slow but effective against weak passwords.
24. What is social engineering?
Social engineering manipulates people into revealing sensitive information. It exploits human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities.
25. What is phishing?
Phishing is a social engineering attack using fake emails or websites. It aims to steal credentials or financial information.
26. What is DoS attack?
A Denial of Service attack overwhelms a system with traffic. It makes services unavailable to legitimate users.
27. What is DDoS attack?
DDoS uses multiple systems to launch a DoS attack. It is harder to detect and mitigate due to distributed sources.
28. What is port scanning?
Port scanning identifies open ports on a system. It helps attackers and defenders understand exposed services.
29. What is privilege escalation?
Privilege escalation is gaining higher access rights than allowed. Attackers use it to gain administrative or root access.
30. What is malware?
Malware is malicious software designed to harm systems. Examples include viruses, worms, trojans, and ransomware.
31. What is a trojan?
A trojan disguises itself as legitimate software. It allows attackers to gain unauthorized access.
32. What is ransomware?
Ransomware encrypts victim data and demands payment. It can cause major financial and operational damage.
33. What is a backdoor?
A backdoor is a hidden way to access a system. Attackers use it to bypass authentication mechanisms.
34. What is VPN?
A VPN creates a secure encrypted tunnel over the internet. It protects data privacy and hides the user’s IP address.
35. What is MAC address?
A MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces. It is used for communication within a local network.
36. What is IP address?
An IP address uniquely identifies a device on a network. It can be IPv4 or IPv6.
37. What is DNS?
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. It allows users to access websites easily.
38. What is packet sniffing?
Packet sniffing captures network traffic for analysis. Tools like Wireshark are used for this purpose.
39. What is Wireshark?
Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer. It helps inspect packets and troubleshoot network issues.
40. What is session hijacking?
Session hijacking takes over a user’s active session. Attackers gain unauthorized access without login credentials.
41. What is two-factor authentication?
2FA adds an extra layer of security to authentication. It requires something you know and something you have.
42. What is sandboxing?
Sandboxing isolates applications to prevent damage. It is used to safely analyze malware.
43. What is zero-day vulnerability?
A zero-day vulnerability is unknown to vendors. It is exploited before a patch is released.
44. What is bug bounty?
Bug bounty programs reward hackers for finding vulnerabilities. They encourage responsible disclosure.
45. What is legal permission in ethical hacking?
Written authorization from the system owner is required. Without permission, hacking is illegal.
46. What is CIA triad?
CIA stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. It forms the foundation of cybersecurity principles.
47. What is SSL/TLS?
SSL/TLS encrypts data between client and server. It secures online communications.
48. What is authentication?
Authentication verifies the identity of a user. It uses passwords, biometrics, or tokens.
49. What is authorization?
Authorization determines what actions a user can perform. It comes after successful authentication.
50. Why is ethical hacking important?
Ethical hacking helps prevent cyberattacks. It protects sensitive data and organizational assets.
Conclusion
Preparing for an ethical hacking interview as a fresher requires a strong understanding of fundamental cybersecurity concepts, tools, and attack methodologies. The questions covered in this list focus on core areas such as networking basics, web security, common attack types, and ethical responsibilities, which form the foundation of a successful career in ethical hacking.
By mastering these interview questions and answers, freshers can confidently demonstrate their technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and awareness of security best practices. Continuous learning, hands-on practice with tools like Kali Linux and Nmap, and staying updated with the latest threats will significantly improve your chances of cracking ethical hacking interviews and building a strong future in cybersecurity.
