Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

Which address is commonly spoofed in a session hijacking attack?

1. IP address

2. MAC address

3. Session address

4. URL address

The correct answer is: IP address

In a session hijacking attack, the address that is most commonly spoofed is the IP address. This type of attack occurs when an attacker gains unauthorized access to a user's session by impersonating that user's IP address. By doing this, the attacker can trick the server into thinking that the request is coming from the legitimate user, thus allowing them to take over the session and potentially access sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions. Session hijacking typically involves exploiting vulnerabilities in the way sessions are managed or transmitted over a network. By spoofing the IP address, the attacker can effectively bypass certain security measures that rely on the user's IP for session validation. Other addresses, such as MAC addresses or URL addresses, do not play the same critical role in session control as IP addresses do within Internet protocols. While MAC addresses are relevant in local network scenarios, they do not traverse the internet, making them less relevant in the context of session hijacking. Similarly, while URL addresses identify web resources, they are not what is spoofed to manipulate session authentication. Session addresses, while a term that seems relevant, is not a widely recognized term in this context, further underscoring the primary importance of IP addresses during such attacks.