GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

An administrator types the following command: \\fileserver2\network_tools\software$ What are they trying to access?

1. A remote Registry Key

2. A website uniform resource locator

3. A local drive mapping

4. A hidden share on a remote host

The correct answer is: A hidden share on a remote host

The command provided indicates that the administrator is attempting to access a specific network path on a remote server, denoted by the double backslashes (\\) at the beginning. This syntax is commonly used in Windows environments to reference shared resources on other computers within a network. The term “software$” at the end of the path signifies that it is likely a hidden share. In Windows, adding a dollar sign ($) to the end of a share name automatically hides it from casual browsing or listing of network shares, allowing only those who know the exact path to access it. Thus, the administrator is specifically looking to access this hidden share on the remote host named "fileserver2." The context of the other options helps illustrate why this answer stands out. Accessing a remote Registry Key does not involve the syntax used, nor do web URLs. Local drive mapping generally refers to mapping a server location to a drive letter on a local machine, which does not apply here, as the command directly targets a network share without implying a mapping exists. Therefore, the command clearly points to an intention to connect with a hidden share on a remote host.