Lesson 8 Review Questions Flashcards
(28 cards)
A medium-sized software development company recently introduced a bug bounty program to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in their flagship application. The security manager plans to coordinate the program’s rules and engagement policies. When setting up a bug bounty program for vulnerability management, which activities should the security manager prioritize to ensure the program’s effectiveness and ethical participation? (Select the two best options.)
A. Establishing a clear scope of which assets researchers can test
B. Offering substantial rewards regardless of the severity of the bug found
C. Providing a secure platform for researchers to report findings
D. Allowing researchers to disclose findings publicly immediately after discovery
A. Establishing a clear scope of which assets researchers can test
C. Providing a secure platform for researchers to report findings
A software development company has recently integrated new tools for dependency analysis and Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) into its development pipeline. The security team ensures that these tools effectively identify and manage vulnerabilities. When leveraging dependency analysis and SBOM tools in a software development environment, which key factors should the security team prioritize to address potential vulnerabilities more efficiently? (Select the two best options.)
A. Recognizing outdated software dependencies
B. Tracking the frequency of software updates
C. Identifying undisclosed open-source components
D. Calculating the software’s runtime speed
A. Recognizing outdated software dependencies
C. Identifying undisclosed open-source components
A cybersecurity specialist is preparing to perform a vulnerability scan on an organization’s infrastructure. The organization’s management wants the scan to be as thorough as possible without directly compromising any systems or accessing sensitive data. The cybersecurity specialist considers both credentialed and non-credentialed scans to determine which will best suit the organization’s requirements. In the described situation, if aiming to gather detailed vulnerability data from the system by logging into it using pre-defined accounts, which type of scan is the specialist planning to conduct?
A. Credentialed scan
B. Non-credentialed scan
C. Passive network scan
D. External perimeter scan
A. Credentialed scan
A leading fintech company plans to migrate its primary financial application to a public cloud environment. Before the transition, the cloud security specialist reviews the application’s architecture to ensure its resistance against potential cloud-based application attacks. Given the specific vulnerabilities associated with cloud platforms, which attack method would be the MOST effective against a cloud-based application that has API rate limits, but has not completely secured its Application Programming Interface (API)?
A. Distributed denial of service (DDoS) against the cloud infrastructure
B. Brute force attack on application user accounts
C. Injection attack targeting the application’s API
D. Social engineering attack on cloud provider personnel
C. Injection attack targeting the application’s API
An application security analyst at a software company is assessing a new software application before its release to customers. Before deciding on the best approach for the assessment, the analyst recalls that there are different methods of analysis to evaluate the software’s security posture. The analyst wants to assess the software’s running state to identify potential vulnerabilities during its execution. Considering the preference to evaluate the software in its running state and identify vulnerabilities during execution, which type of examination should the analyst primarily rely on?
A. Static code review
B. Manual penetration testing
C. Dynamic analysis
D. Source code fingerprinting
C. Dynamic analysis
A cybersecurity specialist is conducting a comprehensive security assessment focusing on the organization’s use of cryptographic technologies and the configuration of its systems to safeguard against vulnerabilities. Which two of the following activities are essential for the specialist to perform to effectively assess the security posture regarding cryptographic algorithms? (Select the two best options.)
A. Evaluating the strength of cryptographic keys
B. Inspecting network traffic for encrypted malicious payloads
C. Checking for default passwords in software applications
D. Reviewing the aesthetics of the user interface
A. Evaluating the strength of cryptographic keys
B. Inspecting network traffic for encrypted malicious payloads
A security analyst is reviewing server configurations in an organization during a vulnerability assessment. The analyst finds that someone left the default vendor passwords active on a critical server holding customer data. Additionally, someone is running unnecessary services on the server, and no one has patched it for several months. In this scenario, which vulnerability would adversaries MOST likely exploit first to gain unauthorized access to the critical server?
A. Absence of an intrusion detection system (IDS)
B. Default vendor passwords not changed
C. Use of open-source software
D. Non-encrypted data at rest
B. Default vendor passwords not changed
An organization’s security team has hired a penetration tester to assess the vulnerabilities in its digital infrastructure. The penetration tester has a clear set of guidelines and is about to start the test. When engaging in vulnerability management within an organization, which activities will the penetration tester MOST likely undertake to ensure a comprehensive assessment? (Select the two best options.)
A. Deleting data found in critical servers
B. Running exploitation tools against known vulnerabilities
C. Installing new software without prior permission
D. Assessing the environment for potential weak points
B. Running exploitation tools against known vulnerabilities
D. Assessing the environment for potential weak points
An organization recently launched a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy to increase work flexibility. The IT team learned that different employees have devices with varying firmware versions. Aware of the potential security implications, the chief security officer (CSO) decides to review the vulnerabilities related to firmware to ensure the organization’s cybersecurity posture remains robust. In the context of device firmware vulnerabilities, which of the following actions introduces the greatest risk of a potential breach when employees use the devices for work?
A. Refraining from updating third-party applications regularly
B. Not enabling multifactor authentication (MFA) on the device
C. Failing to update the device’s firmware to the latest version
D. Using the device on a public Wi-Fi without a virtual private network (VPN)
C. Failing to update the device’s firmware to the latest version
A company hires a team of penetration testers to evaluate the security posture of its newly developed web application. After a comprehensive analysis, the testers submit their findings, detailing potential vulnerabilities. The company’s security officer reviews the report and contemplates the essential differences between how threat actors and penetration testers would exploit the identified vulnerabilities. What distinct motive differentiates a professional penetration tester from a threat actor when it comes to exploiting vulnerabilities in a system?
A. Penetration testers aim to damage or disrupt the system.
B. Threat actors provide a detailed report of their findings.
C. Penetration testers identify vulnerabilities improving security.
D. Threat actors operate with permission to test the system.
C. Penetration testers identify vulnerabilities improving security.
A tech company plans to launch a new application on a cloud platform to cater to its growing customer base. The lead security analyst examines potential vulnerabilities to ensure the application remains secure after deployment. The analyst focuses on potential weak points within the application’s design and the cloud platform’s infrastructure. Considering vulnerabilities associated with applications and cloud platforms, which of the following issues poses the highest risk related to unauthorized data access in cloud-hosted applications?
A. Inefficiently allocated cloud resources
B. Disabled logging features within the application
C. Misconfigured cloud storage access controls
D. Absence of multifactor authentication (MFA) for application users
C. Misconfigured cloud storage access controls
While conducting covert searches in attempts to uncover exfiltrated data, a cyber analyst searches websites that are part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines. What area of the web is the cyber analyst conducting searching?
A. Deep web
B. Surface web
C. Local area network
D. Public database
A. Deep web
A security analyst at a large corporation initiates a vulnerability scan on the company’s web application. Upon completion, the results show several potential vulnerabilities. One of these vulnerabilities, identified as “Potential SQL Injection,” is a concern. However, after further inspection, the analyst realizes this vulnerability does not exist in the application and the scanner has made an error. Given the scenario above, what term BEST describes the vulnerability scanner’s identification of the “Potential SQL Injection” that does not exist in the application?
A. True negative
B. False positive
C. False negative
D. True positive
B. False positive
An IT administrator observes that a significant number of mobile devices within the organization have applications installed from outside official app stores. Concerned about the security implications, the administrator decides to assess the vulnerabilities introduced by this practice. Which of the following BEST describes the process that allows users to install applications on their devices from sources other than official app stores, potentially exposing the device to malware or unauthorized data access?
A. Rooting
B. Sideload
C. Jailbreaking
D. Keylogging
B. Sideload
A cybersecurity analyst at a tech firm is integrating Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) methodologies into the company’s vulnerability management program. The analyst seeks to use publicly available information to understand potential threats better and improve the firm’s security posture. When the cybersecurity analyst integrates OSINT into the vulnerability management program, which will the analyst MOST likely prioritize to maximize the effectiveness of the security framework? (Select the two best options.)
A. Monitoring deep web sources for threat indicators
B. Automating system patch updates based on social media trends
C. Analyzing publicly available forums for emerging threat patterns
D. Upgrading the office router every time a new model is released
A. Monitoring deep web sources for threat indicators
C. Analyzing publicly available forums for emerging threat patterns
An organization’s security analyst joins two information-sharing organizations to enhance the company’s vulnerability management strategy. These organizations promise to share real-time threat intelligence, best practices, and resources. In the context of vulnerability management, which primary advantages do information-sharing organizations offer to improve an organization’s security posture? (Select the two best options.)
A. It provides real-time threat intelligence feeds tailored to industry specifics.
B. It automatically patches vulnerabilities without human intervention.
C. It facilitates collaboration and exchange of best practices among member organizations.
D. It ensures the organization becomes immune to future vulnerabilities.
A. It provides real-time threat intelligence feeds tailored to industry specifics.
C. It facilitates collaboration and exchange of best practices among member organizations.
A software engineer at a growing tech company identifies that some divisions in the organization still operate on legacy systems. The firmware for these systems has not seen updates in over a decade. The chief information security officer (CISO) recognizes the imminent risks these outdated systems pose and decides to hold a training session. During the training, the software engineer asks about the main vulnerability of such systems. Given the context of legacy and end-of-life system vulnerabilities, what is the primary risk of using firmware that has not received security updates, thus potentially exposing the system to breaches?
A. The firmware becomes faster and more efficient.
B. The system can experience compatibility issues with newer software.
C. Unauthorized access becomes easier for potential attackers.
D. The system may require frequent restarts due to firmware instability.
C. Unauthorized access becomes easier for potential attackers.
A cybersecurity analyst is reviewing the website of a major financial institution. The analyst suspects that vulnerabilities might allow an attacker to exploit Cross-site Scripting (XSS) and SQL Injection (SQLi) vulnerabilities. When examining the website for potential XSS and SQLi vulnerabilities, what are common indicators a cybersecurity analyst should look for? (Select the two best options.)
A. Input fields that do not sanitize user input
B. Web pages that allow file uploads without validation
C. Error messages that disclose database information
D. The presence of HTTPS in the URL
A. Input fields that do not sanitize user input
C. Error messages that disclose database information
A security analyst evaluates a software application’s codebase to detect potential security vulnerabilities. The analyst performs dynamic security testing and static source code analysis to understand potential threats comprehensively. When conducting dynamic security testing and static source code analysis, the analyst typically performs which activities? (Select the two best options.)
A. Reviewing code for hard-coded credentials
B. Analyzing run-time behavior of applications
C. Installing updates on network routers
D. Configuring firewall rules
A. Reviewing code for hard-coded credentials
B. Analyzing run-time behavior of applications
A security analyst at a technology firm is enhancing the vulnerability management process within the organization. The analyst receives an email with a list of newly discovered vulnerabilities affecting various software applications. To standardize the reference and communication of software vulnerabilities in a consistent and easily understandable manner, which standards should the security analyst primarily consider?
A. Wired Equivalent Privacy and Wi-Fi Protected Access
B. Internet Control Message Protocol and Simple Network Management Protocol
C. Secure Shell and File Transfer Protocol
D. Security Content Automation Protocol and Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
D. Security Content Automation Protocol and Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
A system administrator at a software development company is working on integrating package monitoring into the organization’s vulnerability management strategy. The administrator aims to track software packages and applications to ensure they remain free from vulnerabilities and continue to support the firm’s security framework. As the system administrator incorporates package monitoring into the vulnerability management process, which actions will MOST likely get prioritized to enhance the effectiveness of this approach? (Select the two best options.)
A. Tracking outdated software packages
B. Manually updating software every day
C. Monitoring software repositories for new updates
D. Buying the latest antivirus software every month
A. Tracking outdated software packages
C. Monitoring software repositories for new updates
The security team at a major corporation has discovered multiple vulnerabilities during its latest assessment. The security manager must prioritize these vulnerabilities to ensure that the most critical ones get addressed first. In the context of vulnerability management and prioritization, which criterion is the MOST crucial for the security manager to consider when determining the urgency of addressing a specific vulnerability?
A. The potential impact of the vulnerability on the organization’s core operations
B. The age of the software containing the vulnerability
C. The number of times the vulnerability has appeared in past assessments
D. The popularity of the software among the organization’s employees
A. The potential impact of the vulnerability on the organization’s core operations
A large corporation is evaluating potential hardware suppliers and service providers for its new data center expansion. The IT team aims to select vendors that adhere to security best practices to minimize vulnerabilities. When assessing the security posture of hardware suppliers and service providers, which factors are essential for the corporation to consider to ensure reduced vulnerabilities in its data center operations? (Select the two best options.)
A. Supply chain verification processes in place
B. Number of data centers the supplier operates
C. Hardware components’ origin transparency
D. Annual revenue of the service provider
A. Supply chain verification processes in place
C. Hardware components’ origin transparency
An information security analyst at a tech company reviews a security report outlining recent attack vectors against the company’s systems. The analyst identifies potential risks related to unpatched software vulnerabilities still unknown to the vendor and risks associated with weak cryptographic algorithms. The analyst wants to prioritize these risks to decide on immediate remedial action. Based on the provided scenario, what BEST describes an unknown vulnerability in software that the vendor has yet to discover or patch, and that attackers are actively exploiting?
A. Zero-day vulnerability
B. On-path attack
C. Rainbow table attack
D. Public key infrastructure flaw
A. Zero-day vulnerability
