Exploiting Windows 7 Vulnerabilities using Penetration Testing Tools: A Case Study about Windows 7 Vulnerabilities

Abstract

Many businesses ranging from small to large organizations use Windows 7 as their primary operating systems on their devices. A large portion of home desktops also use the operating system as well. This is a major risk due to the fact that Microsoft has discontinued support for Windows 7. With this vulnerability, hackers and cybercriminals utilize this to attack devices that use the outdated platform. The research focuses on the different attacks on Windows 7 ranging from listener exploits to system crash exploits. The penetration testing environment was done in a safe laboratory with the use of a virtual machine. The researchers then used different pen testing tools such as Metasploit, EternalBlue, NMAP, and other resources in order to penetrate the Windows 7 testing device. This study aims to provide recommendations to prevent such attacks from happening.