Assignment 1: Attack Methodology and Countermeasures Due Week 4 and worth 80 points Imagine that a local company has hired you as a penetration tester to perform necessary testing. The company has asked you to report back to the Board of Directors on your findings. You have free reign to use whatever tools that are at your disposal. Note: You are not performing an actual penetration test or creating a penetration test report for this assignment. Write a two to four (2-4) page paper in which you: Analyze both the scanning methodology that you could use and the countermeasures that a company or organization could use in order to thwart such scanning attempts. Analyze the key tools available for scanning a network. Recommend one (1) scanning tool for a hacker and one (1) scanning tool for a security administrator that you believe provide the greatest protection for a network. Indicate which of the chosen tools is most beneficial to you as the penetration tester. Provide a rationale for your response. Assess the overall importance of the five (5) major phases of an attack. Select the phase(s) that you believe to be the most important for a security administrator to protect against. Provide a rationale for your selection. Suggest the key countermeasures that a security administrator could take in order to protect a company’s assets from Trojans, viruses, and worms, and impede further damage of an attack. Provide a rationale for your response. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.  Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Discuss the concepts of ethical hacking, different types of hacking, and penetration testing techniques. Describe footprinting and passive information and competitive intelligence gathering.  Explain the different types of scanning and scanning methodology.  Describe enumeration and different techniques used for enumeration.  Examine the functions and impact of malicious programs and their countermeasures. Use technology and information resources to research issues in ethical hacking. Write clearly and concisely about topics related to Perimeter Defense Techniques using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions. Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric. Points: 80 Assignment 1: .

1. Assignment 1: Attack Methodology and Countermeasures
Due Week 4 and worth 80 points
Imagine that a local company has hired you as a penetration
tester to perform necessary testing. The company has asked you
to report back to the Board of Directors on your findings. You
have free reign to use whatever tools that are at your disposal.
Note: You are not performing an actual penetration test or
creating a penetration test report for this assignment.
Write a two to four (2-4) page paper in which you:
Analyze both the scanning methodology that you could use and
the countermeasures that a company or organization could use
in order to thwart such scanning attempts.
Analyze the key tools available for scanning a network.
Recommend one (1) scanning tool for a hacker and one (1)
scanning tool for a security administrator that you believe
provide the greatest protection for a network. Indicate which of
the chosen tools is most beneficial to you as the penetration
tester. Provide a rationale for your response.
Assess the overall importance of the five (5) major phases of an
attack. Select the phase(s) that you believe to be the most
important for a security administrator to protect against.
Provide a rationale for your selection.
Suggest the key countermeasures that a security administrator
could take in order to protect a company’s assets from Trojans,
viruses, and worms, and impede further damage of an attack.
Provide a rationale for your response.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note:
Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality
resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your
professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your

2. name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The
cover page and the reference page are not included in the
required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Discuss the concepts of ethical hacking, different types of
hacking, and penetration testing techniques.
Describe footprinting and passive information and competitive
intelligence gathering.
Explain the different types of scanning and scanning
methodology.
Describe enumeration and different techniques used for
enumeration.
Examine the functions and impact of malicious programs and
their countermeasures.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in
ethical hacking.
Write clearly and concisely about topics related to Perimeter
Defense Techniques using proper writing mechanics and
technical style conventions.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality,
logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing
skills, using the following rubric.
Points: 80
Assignment 1:
Attack Methodology and Countermeasures
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 60% F
Meets Minimum Expectations
60-69% D
Fair
70-79% C

3. Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
1. Analyze both the scanning methodology that you could use
and the countermeasures that a company or organization could
use in order to thwart such scanning attempts.
Weight: 25%
Did not submit or incompletely analyzed both the scanning
methodology that you could use and the countermeasures that a
company or organization could use in order to thwart such
scanning attempts.
Insufficiently analyzed both the scanning methodology that you
could use and the countermeasures that a company or
organization could use in order to thwart such scanning
attempts.
Partially analyzed both the scanning methodology that you
could use and the countermeasures that a company or
organization could use in order to thwart such scanning
attempts.
Satisfactorily analyzed both the scanning methodology that you
could use and the countermeasures that a company or
organization could use in order to thwart such scanning
attempts.
Thoroughly analyzed both the scanning methodology that you
could use and the countermeasures that a company or
organization could use in order to thwart such scanning
attempts.
2. Analyze the key tools available for scanning a network.
Recommend one (1) scanning tool for a hacker and one (1)
scanning tool for a security administrator that you believe
provide the greatest protection for a network. Indicate which of
the chosen tools is most beneficial to you as the penetration
tester. Provide a rationale for your response.
Weight: 20%

4. Did not submit or incompletely analyzed the key tools available
for scanning a network. Did not submit or incompletely
recommended one (1) scanning tool for a hacker and one (1)
scanning tool for a security administrator that you believe
provide the greatest protection for a network. Did not submit or
incompletely indicated which of the chosen tools is most
beneficial to you as the penetration tester. Did not submit or
incompletely provided a rationale for your response.
Insufficiently analyzed the key tools available for scanning a
network. Insufficiently recommended one (1) scanning tool for
a hacker and one (1) scanning tool for a security administrator
that you believe provide the greatest protection for a network.
Insufficiently indicated which of the chosen tools is most
beneficial to you as the penetration tester. Insufficiently
provided a rationale for your response.
Partially analyzed the key tools available for scanning a
network. Partially recommended one (1) scanning tool for a
hacker and one (1) scanning tool for a security administrator
that you believe provide the greatest protection for a network.
Partially indicated which of the chosen tools is most beneficial
to you as the penetration tester. Partially provided a rationale
for your response.
Satisfactorily analyzed the key tools available for scanning a
network. Satisfactorily recommended one (1) scanning tool for a
hacker and one (1) scanning tool for a security administrator
that you believe provide the greatest protection for a network.
Satisfactorily indicated which of the chosen tools is most
beneficial to you as the penetration tester. Satisfactorily
provided a rationale for your response.
Thoroughly analyzed the key tools available for scanning a
network. Thoroughly recommended one (1) scanning tool for a
hacker and one (1) scanning tool for a security administrator
that you believe provide the greatest protection for a network.
Thoroughly indicated which of the chosen tools is most
beneficial to you as the penetration tester. Thoroughly provided
a rationale for your response.

5. 3. Assess the overall importance of the five (5) major phases of
an attack. Select the phase(s) that you believe to be the most
important for a security administrator to protect against.
Provide a rationale for your selection.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely assessed the overall importance
of the five (5) major phases of an attack. Did not submit or
incompletely selected the phase(s) that you believe to be the
most important for a security administrator to protect against.
Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your
selection.
Insufficiently assessed the overall importance of the five (5)
major phases of an attack. Insufficiently selected the phase(s)
that you believe to be the most important for a security
administrator to protect against. Insufficiently provided a
rationale for your selection.
Partially assessed the overall importance of the five (5) major
phases of an attack. Partially selected the phase(s) that you
believe to be the most important for a security administrator to
protect against. Partially provided a rationale for your selection.
Satisfactorily assessed the overall importance of the five (5)
major phases of an attack. Satisfactorily selected the phase(s)
that you believe to be the most important for a security
administrator to protect against. Satisfactorily provided a
rationale for your selection.
Thoroughly assessed the overall importance of the five (5)
major phases of an attack. Thoroughly selected the phase(s) that
you believe to be the most important for a security
administrator to protect against. Thoroughly provided a
rationale for your selection.
4. Suggest the key countermeasures that a security administrator
could take in order to protect a company’s assets from Trojans,
viruses, and worms, and impede further damage of an attack.
Provide a rationale for your response.
Weight: 20%
Did not submit or incompletely suggested the key

6. countermeasures that a security administrator could take in
order to protect a company’s assets from Trojans, viruses, and
worms, and impede further damage of an attack. Did not submit
or incompletely provided a rationale for your response.
Insufficiently suggested the key countermeasures that a security
administrator could take in order to protect a company’s assets
from Trojans, viruses, and worms, and impede further damage
of an attack. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your
response.
Partially suggested the key countermeasures that a security
administrator could take in order to protect a company’s assets
from Trojans, viruses, and worms, and impede further damage
of an attack. Partially provided a rationale for your response.
Satisfactorily suggested the key countermeasures that a security
administrator could take in order to protect a company’s assets
from Trojans, viruses, and worms, and impede further damage
of an attack. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your
response.
Thoroughly suggested the key countermeasures that a security
administrator could take in order to protect a company’s assets
from Trojans, viruses, and worms, and impede further damage
of an attack. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response.
5. 3 references
Weight: 5%
No references provided
Does not meet the required number of references; all references
poor quality choices.
Does not meet the required number of references; some
references poor quality choices.
Meets number of required references; all references high quality
choices.
Exceeds number of required references; all references high
quality choices.
6. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements
Weight: 10%
More than 8 errors present

7. 7-8 errors present
5-6 errors present
3-4 errors present
0-2 errors present