During an engagement, a penetration tester runs the following command against the host system:
host -t axfr domain.com dnsl.domain.com
Which of the following techniques best describes what the tester is doing?
Correct Answer: A
A DNS zone transfer attack occurs when a misconfigured DNS server allows attackers to retrieve the entire DNS record set.
Zone transfer (Option A):
The command host -t axfr domain.com dnsl.domain.com requests an AXFR (authoritative transfer) of the DNS records.
This provides subdomains, email servers, and internal DNS records, which attackers can use for reconnaissance.
Reference: CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-003 Official Study Guide - "DNS Enumeration Techniques" Incorrect options:
Option B (Host enumeration): Host enumeration gathers information about a specific host, not the entire DNS zone.
Option C (DNS poisoning): DNS poisoning modifies cache entries to redirect users. This is a different attack.
Option D (DNS query): A standard DNS query retrieves a single record, not a full zone transfer.