Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Practice
Exam Question And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
1. Which of the following is the first phase of ethical hacking?
A. Maintaining access
B. Scanning
C. Gaining access
D. Reconnaissance
Answer: D. Reconnaissance
Rationale: Reconnaissance is the initial phase where information
about the target is gathered before launching any attack.
2. Which tool is commonly used for network packet analysis?
A. Metasploit
B. Wireshark
C. John the Ripper
D. Nikto
Answer: B. Wireshark
Rationale: Wireshark is widely used to capture and analyze
network packets in real time.
3. What does a port scanner primarily identify?
A. User passwords
B. Open ports and services
C. System files
D. Physical devices
, Answer: B. Open ports and services
Rationale: Port scanners identify open ports and the services
running on them to discover potential entry points.
4. Which type of malware disguises itself as legitimate software?
A. Worm
B. Virus
C. Trojan
D. Rootkit
Answer: C. Trojan
Rationale: Trojans masquerade as legitimate software to trick
users into executing them.
5. Which protocol is used to securely transfer files?
A. FTP
B. TFTP
C. SFTP
D. HTTP
Answer: C. SFTP
Rationale: SFTP uses SSH to provide secure file transfer through
encryption.
6. What is the main purpose of a firewall?
A. Increase network speed
B. Block unauthorized access
C. Store passwords
D. Create backups
Answer: B. Block unauthorized access
Rationale: Firewalls control traffic and prevent unauthorized
access to a network.
,7. Which operating system is most commonly used for penetration
testing?
A. Windows Server
B. Ubuntu Desktop
C. Kali Linux
D. macOS
Answer: C. Kali Linux
Rationale: Kali Linux is designed specifically for penetration
testing and ethical hacking tasks.
8. What is social engineering?
A. Writing malicious code
B. Physically breaking into buildings
C. Manipulating people to reveal confidential information
D. Scanning open ports
Answer: C. Manipulating people to reveal confidential
information
Rationale: Social engineering relies on psychological
manipulation rather than technical hacking.
9. What does SQL injection attempt to exploit?
A. Buffer overflow
B. Database query weakness
C. Weak passwords
D. DNS servers
Answer: B. Database query weakness
Rationale: SQL injection targets poorly validated database
queries to execute malicious SQL commands.
, 10. Which tool is used for password cracking?
A. Nmap
B. John the Ripper
C. Burp Suite
D. Snort
Answer: B. John the Ripper
Rationale: John the Ripper is designed specifically to crack
password hashes.
11. What is phishing?
A. Network scanning
B. Sending fake emails to steal information
C. Monitoring network traffic
D. Hiding files
Answer: B. Sending fake emails to steal information
Rationale: Phishing uses fraudulent messages to trick users into
revealing sensitive information.
12. What is the main goal of a DoS attack?
A. Steal data
B. Install malware
C. Disrupt service availability
D. Delete logs
Answer: C. Disrupt service availability
Rationale: DoS attacks aim to make systems or services
unavailable to legitimate users.
13. Which type of attack involves attempting many passwords?
A. Man-in-the-middle
Exam Question And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
1. Which of the following is the first phase of ethical hacking?
A. Maintaining access
B. Scanning
C. Gaining access
D. Reconnaissance
Answer: D. Reconnaissance
Rationale: Reconnaissance is the initial phase where information
about the target is gathered before launching any attack.
2. Which tool is commonly used for network packet analysis?
A. Metasploit
B. Wireshark
C. John the Ripper
D. Nikto
Answer: B. Wireshark
Rationale: Wireshark is widely used to capture and analyze
network packets in real time.
3. What does a port scanner primarily identify?
A. User passwords
B. Open ports and services
C. System files
D. Physical devices
, Answer: B. Open ports and services
Rationale: Port scanners identify open ports and the services
running on them to discover potential entry points.
4. Which type of malware disguises itself as legitimate software?
A. Worm
B. Virus
C. Trojan
D. Rootkit
Answer: C. Trojan
Rationale: Trojans masquerade as legitimate software to trick
users into executing them.
5. Which protocol is used to securely transfer files?
A. FTP
B. TFTP
C. SFTP
D. HTTP
Answer: C. SFTP
Rationale: SFTP uses SSH to provide secure file transfer through
encryption.
6. What is the main purpose of a firewall?
A. Increase network speed
B. Block unauthorized access
C. Store passwords
D. Create backups
Answer: B. Block unauthorized access
Rationale: Firewalls control traffic and prevent unauthorized
access to a network.
,7. Which operating system is most commonly used for penetration
testing?
A. Windows Server
B. Ubuntu Desktop
C. Kali Linux
D. macOS
Answer: C. Kali Linux
Rationale: Kali Linux is designed specifically for penetration
testing and ethical hacking tasks.
8. What is social engineering?
A. Writing malicious code
B. Physically breaking into buildings
C. Manipulating people to reveal confidential information
D. Scanning open ports
Answer: C. Manipulating people to reveal confidential
information
Rationale: Social engineering relies on psychological
manipulation rather than technical hacking.
9. What does SQL injection attempt to exploit?
A. Buffer overflow
B. Database query weakness
C. Weak passwords
D. DNS servers
Answer: B. Database query weakness
Rationale: SQL injection targets poorly validated database
queries to execute malicious SQL commands.
, 10. Which tool is used for password cracking?
A. Nmap
B. John the Ripper
C. Burp Suite
D. Snort
Answer: B. John the Ripper
Rationale: John the Ripper is designed specifically to crack
password hashes.
11. What is phishing?
A. Network scanning
B. Sending fake emails to steal information
C. Monitoring network traffic
D. Hiding files
Answer: B. Sending fake emails to steal information
Rationale: Phishing uses fraudulent messages to trick users into
revealing sensitive information.
12. What is the main goal of a DoS attack?
A. Steal data
B. Install malware
C. Disrupt service availability
D. Delete logs
Answer: C. Disrupt service availability
Rationale: DoS attacks aim to make systems or services
unavailable to legitimate users.
13. Which type of attack involves attempting many passwords?
A. Man-in-the-middle
