CompTIA PenTest+ Practice Test

What term describes a shell that is connected to a specific port on the target host to listen for incoming connections?

1. Reverse shell

2. Bind shell

3. Interactive shell

4. Proxy shell

The correct answer is: Bind shell

A bind shell is defined as a type of shell that establishes a listener on the target machine at a specified port, allowing an attacker to connect to that port to gain command execution capabilities on the target. This is achieved by the target machine waiting for an incoming connection from the attacker. When the attacker connects to that port, they can interact with the shell on the target system. The concept of a bind shell is vital in penetration testing and cybersecurity contexts because it highlights how systems can be exploited for unauthorized access. The chosen answer accurately captures the essence of the mechanism used for such property: creating a direct line for command control by opening a communication point on the target host. In contrast, other terms such as a reverse shell refer to a situation where the target system initiates a connection back to the attacker, thus being the opposite of a bind shell. An interactive shell typically refers to a command-line environment where commands can be executed, but it does not inherently describe the connection mechanism. A proxy shell involves intermediary systems and does not relate directly to the concept of listening on a specific port to accept incoming connections. The distinction between these terms is crucial for understanding different methods of establishing remote access to systems during penetration testing engagements.