Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v13) — Question 48

John, a professional hacker, performs a network attack on a renowned organization and gains unauthorized access to the target network. He remains in the network without being detected for a long time and obtains sensitive information without sabotaging the organization.
Which of the following attack techniques is used by John?

Answer options

• A. Insider threat
• B. Diversion theft
• C. Spear-phishing sites
• D. Advanced persistent threat

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is D, Advanced persistent threat, as it describes a prolonged and stealthy attack where the intruder maintains access to the network over time to gather sensitive information. The other options do not fit this scenario; an Insider threat typically involves someone within the organization, Diversion theft refers to stealing while distracting, and Spear-phishing sites are related to targeted phishing attacks rather than long-term network infiltration.