Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What is the technique called when an attacker redirects a victim's online traffic to a malicious website?

1. Pharming

2. Phishing

3. Smishing

4. Vishing

The correct answer is: Pharming

The technique referred to when an attacker redirects a victim's online traffic to a malicious website is known as pharming. This method involves altering the way a domain name resolves to an IP address, ensuring that when a victim attempts to reach a legitimate website, they are instead directed to a impostor site designed to steal sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, or financial details. Pharming typically exploits vulnerabilities in DNS servers or employs malicious code on the victim's computer to change the routing of web traffic. The sophistication of this attack makes it particularly dangerous, as the victim may not recognize that they are on a fraudulent site. To effectively combat pharming, users should ensure they are accessing secure websites (indicated by HTTPS and a valid SSL certificate) and be cautious of any unexpected redirects. While other options refer to different types of online threats, such as phishing (deceiving users into providing personal information via fraudulent communications), smishing (SMS phishing), and vishing (voice phishing via phone calls), these do not involve the redirection of web traffic like pharming does. Hence, pharming stands out as the correct technique for the described scenario.