Which of the following is an attacker MOST likely to target to gain privileged access to a system?

Question

Options

• APrograms that write to system resources
• BPrograms that write to user directories
• CLog files containing sensitive information
• DLog files containing system calls

• A
  85% (40)
• B
  2% (1)
• C
  9% (4)
• D
  4% (2)

Explanation

Programs that write to system resources (A) are prime targets because they often run with elevated privileges - if an attacker can exploit or hijack such a program, they inherit its privileged access level, enabling privilege escalation attacks. Programs that write to user directories (B) operate in low-privilege space, so compromising them yields no special access beyond what a normal user already has. Log files (C and D) are passive data stores; reading them might reveal information, but logs don't execute code or hold runtime privileges that an attacker can seize.

Memory tip: Think "write to system = run as system." Attackers follow privilege - they target whatever runs with the most power, which is code touching system-level resources, not user-space files or read-only logs.

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