112-52 · Question #115
Which phase of penetration testing involves attempting to exploit identified vulnerabilities?
The correct answer is C. Exploitation. Exploitation (C) is the phase where a tester actively attempts to leverage identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or demonstrate real-world impact - it's the "hands-on attack" phase. Reconnaissance (A) comes before exploitation and focuses solely on gathering…
Question
Which phase of penetration testing involves attempting to exploit identified vulnerabilities?
Options
- AReconnaissance
- BReporting
- CExploitation
- DRemediation
How the community answered
(22 responses)- A5% (1)
- C95% (21)
Explanation
Exploitation (C) is the phase where a tester actively attempts to leverage identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or demonstrate real-world impact - it's the "hands-on attack" phase. Reconnaissance (A) comes before exploitation and focuses solely on gathering information about the target (scanning, OSINT, enumeration). Reporting (B) is the final phase, documenting findings and remediation recommendations after all testing is complete. Remediation (D) is not even a penetration testing phase - it's what the client does afterward to fix the vulnerabilities that were found.
Memory tip: Think of the phases in order - R-S-E-R (Recon → Scanning → Exploitation → Reporting). "Exploitation" sits right in the middle where the real attacking happens, sandwiched between discovery and documentation.
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