A tester gains access to an internal subnet and finds a service on port 23. The tester initiates a session and is greeted with a request for credentials through an unencrypted interface. Which method describes the approach that led to this prompt?
A secure console that relies on port 22 for connections
An unencrypted interactive console running on port 23
An encrypted administrative channel over port 443
A remote management tool configured with key-based authentication
Telnet is an unencrypted interactive console that runs on port 23. This explains why the tester received a visible command prompt and a cleartext request for credentials. The other methods rely on different protocols and ports. Encrypted tools use port 22 or 443, and they incorporate stronger security methods that were not used in this scenario.
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What is Telnet, and why is it considered insecure?
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What is the difference between Telnet and SSH?
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How can a Penetration Tester exploit an unencrypted Telnet connection?