Stop SMB Exploits and Advance Your Career in Cybersecurity

WannaCry. NotPetya. EternalBlue. These names mark some of the most devastating cyberattacks in history, and they all exploited flaws in Server Message Block (SMB). Knowing how to detect and defend against SMB vulnerabilities isn’t just smart cybersecurity—it’s essential for anyone serious about a career in the field.

Why SMB exploits matter

SMB is a network protocol used primarily by Microsoft for sharing files, printers, and other resources across the network. It allows users to read, create, and update files on remote servers and communicate with other programs over the network. The shift to remote work led many organizations to expose internal services like SMB over the internet, often without adequate security controls, significantly increasing the risk of exploitation.

An SMB exploit is a technique used by cybercriminals to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the SMB protocol. For example, in WannaCry, the attack looked for exposed SMB ports (most commonly port 445). In this case, they were exposed due to misconfiguration. Once an exposed port was found, the chain of exploits continued. EternalBlue was exploited on vulnerable systems to spread a worm throughout the network, ultimately deploying ransomware on infected machines. The WannaCry ransomware worm spread to more than 200,000 computers in over 150 countries.

As shown in this example, when attackers exploit SMB vulnerabilities, they gain unauthorized access to systems, run malicious code, and cause widespread disruption.

Why our Operation SMB Exploit challenge matters

Our latest Capture the Flag: Operation SMB Exploit challenge in Cisco U. hones the skills you need to identify the SMB vulnerabilities in operating systems (such as Windows and Linux) that leave your network open to these attacks.

To better equip yourself for a role in offensive security with this critical skill set, you’ll get hands-on practice analyzing network security from an attacker’s perspective:

• Explore password cracking and vulnerability scanning techniques.
• Attempt a brute-force attack against SSH to uncover any SMB vulnerabilities.
• Enumerate SMB shares.

The end result: Understand potential impacts and how they can be used to identify SMB vulnerabilities that can be exploited in services like Microsoft’s.

The best news: If you successfully complete our latest Capture the Flag challenge, you’re sure to come out a winner by learning how to proactively crush any chances of exploits in your simulated attack.

New to the Cisco Certificate in Ethical Hacking program?

If identifying SMB exploits sounds intriguing, but you’re new to the certificate program or need a refresher, view the certificate program infographic.

If you’ve passed the Ethical Hacker course from Cisco Networking Academy, complete the new challenge to earn a Cisco Certificate in Ethical Hacking.

Join our new community

Continue full steam ahead and join a community of like-minded peers and experts in the Cisco Certificate in Ethical Hacking Community. They can help ensure you keep your momentum going and finish strong.

It’s the challenge that keeps on giving badges—collect ‘em all

Plus, you can continue to collect additional badges with more Capture the Flag challenges in Cisco U. They’re released every 90 days. It’s a fun and engaging way to show you’re always a step ahead of threat actors in the latest cyberthreat landscape.

Why wait?

Start the Operation SMB Exploit challenge in Cisco U. now to build critical skills in ethical hacking—an in-demand field that just keeps growing.

Sign up for Cisco U. | Join the  Cisco Learning Network today for free.

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Everything You Want to Know About Cisco U. Capture the Flag Challenges

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