Virtualization Flashcards
Important chapter of OSS
Which of the following is a primary function of an operating system in enforcing security?
A. Providing user-friendly interfaces
B. Managing hardware resources
C. Enforcing protection boundaries between processes
D. Facilitating application development
Answer: C
Explanation:
The OS enforces protection boundaries to prevent processes from interfering with each other, ensuring system stability and security.
In the context of virtualization, what is the role of a hypervisor?
A. It acts as an antivirus program.
B. It manages user authentication.
C. It enables multiple operating systems to share a single hardware host.
D. It encrypts data for secure transmission.
Answer: C
Explanation:
A hypervisor allows multiple operating systems to run concurrently on a single physical machine by managing and allocating resources to each OS.
Which of the following best describes a system call?
A. A user-level function that performs calculations.
B. A mechanism for user applications to request services from the kernel.
C. A method for inter-process communication.
D. A type of malware attack.
Answer: B
Explanation:
System calls provide a controlled interface through which user applications can request services from the operating system’s kernel.
What is the primary purpose of implementing user and kernel modes in an operating system?
A. To enhance graphical performance.
B. To protect system resources and ensure security.
C. To facilitate multitasking.
D. To manage user accounts.
Answer: B
Explanation:
User and kernel modes separate user processes from critical system operations, preventing unauthorized access and enhancing security.
Which of the following is a characteristic of a virtual machine (VM)?
A. It cannot run different operating systems.
B. It emulates hardware to run multiple OS instances on a single physical machine.
C. It requires separate physical hardware for each OS.
D. It is limited to running only Linux-based systems.
Answer: B
Explanation:
VMs emulate hardware, allowing multiple operating systems to run on a single physical host, each in its isolated environment.
Which type of virtualization allows multiple secure virtual servers to run on the same operating system kernel?
A. Full virtualization
B. Paravirtualization
C. OS-level virtualization
D. Application-level virtualization
Answer: C
Explanation:
OS-level virtualization allows multiple isolated user-space instances, sharing the same OS kernel, to run on a single host.
What is the function of the ‘user’ namespace in Linux containers?
A. It manages network interfaces.
B. It isolates user and group ID mappings between the host and containers.
C. It handles inter-process communication.
D. It controls file system mounts.
Answer: B
Explanation:
The ‘user’ namespace allows containers to have different user and group IDs than the host, enhancing security by isolating user privileges.
Which of the following is a benefit of using containers over traditional virtual machines?
A. Containers require more system resources.
B. Containers have faster startup times and lower overhead.
C. Containers provide stronger isolation than VMs.
D. Containers can run different operating systems on the same host.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Containers share the host OS kernel, leading to faster startup times and reduced resource usage compared to full VMs.
In the context of operating system security, what is ‘context switching’?
A. Switching between different user interfaces.
B. The process of storing and restoring the state of a CPU so that multiple processes can share a single CPU resource.
C. Changing the system’s security context.
D. Updating the OS to a new version.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Context switching allows the CPU to switch between processes, ensuring multitasking while maintaining process isolation.
Which of the following is a potential vulnerability associated with virtual machines?
A. They cannot be infected by malware.
B. VM escape, where a malicious program breaks out of the VM to interact with the host system.
C. They provide complete immunity to network attacks.
D. They eliminate the need for operating system updates.
Answer: B
Explanation:
VM escape is a security risk where an attacker exploits vulnerabilities to move from the VM to the host system.
Which of the following best describes the principle of least privilege?
A. Users should have administrator access at all times.
B. Processes should run with maximum permissions.
C. Users and processes should operate with the minimum permissions necessary to perform their tasks.
D. All users should have equal access rights.
Answer: C
Explanation:
The principle of least privilege ensures that users and processes operate with only the permissions they need, reducing the risk of accidental or malicious damage.
What is a buffer overflow attack?
A. An attack that floods a network with excessive traffic.
B. An attack where more data is written to a buffer than it can hold, potentially allowing code execution.
C. An attack that intercepts data in transit.
D. An attack that disrupts service availability.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Buffer overflow attacks exploit vulnerabilities by overwriting memory, which can lead to arbitrary code execution or system crashes.
Which security model is based on a lattice structure with multiple security levels?
A. Clark-Wilson model
B. Biba model
C. Bell-LaPadula model
D. Brewer-Nash model
Answer: C
Explanation:
The Bell-LaPadula model uses a lattice structure to enforce access controls based on security levels, focusing on data confidentiality.
What is the main purpose of Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR)?
A. To defragment the system memory.
B. To randomize memory addresses used by system and application processes, making exploitation more difficult.
C. To allocate more memory to critical processes.
D. To monitor memory usage patterns.
Answer: B
Explanation:
ASLR randomizes the memory locations of key data areas, making it harder for attackers to predict target addresses during exploitation.
Which of the following is an example of a Type 1 hypervisor?
A. VMware Workstation
B. Oracle VirtualBox
C. Microsoft Hyper-V
D. Parallels Desktop
Answer: C
Explanation:
Type 1 hypervisors, like Microsoft Hyper-V, run directly on the host’s hardware to control the hardware and manage guest operating systems.
What is the function of a Trusted Platform Module (TPM)?
A. To manage network traffic.
B. To securely store cryptographic keys and perform cryptographic operations.
C. To monitor system performance.
D. To enforce software licensing.
Answer: B
Explanation:
A TPM is a hardware component used to securely store cryptographic keys, certificates, and passwords, enhancing system security.
Which of the following best describes a ‘rootkit’?
A. A user with root privileges.
B. Malicious software designed to gain unauthorized root or administrative access to a computer.
C. A toolkit for root users to manage system settings.
D. A security patch for root vulnerabilities.
Answer: B
Explanation:
Rootkits are malicious programs that provide privileged access to a computer while concealing their presence.
What is the primary goal of Mandatory Access Control (MAC)?
A. To allow users to set their own access permissions.
B. To enforce access policies determined by a central authority based on classifications.
C. To provide flexible access controls for users.
D. To simplify permission management.
Answer: B
Explanation:
MAC restricts access based on information clearance and classification, with policies set by a central authority, not individual users.
Which of the following is a characteristic of the Biba Integrity Model?
A. No write-up; no read-down.
B. No read-up; no write-down.
C. Separation of duties.
D. Role-based access control.
Answer: A
Explanation:
The Biba model focuses on data integrity, enforcing rules that prevent data from being modified by lower integrity levels.
What is the purpose of a honeypot in network security?
A. To trap and analyze malware.
B. To distract attackers from legitimate targets.
C. To gather intelligence on attack methods.
D. All of the above.
Answer: D
Explanation:
Honeypots serve multiple purposes, including trapping malware, diverting attackers, and collecting data on attack techniques.
Define ‘sandboxing’ in the context of operating system security.
Answer:
Sandboxing is a security mechanism that isolates applications or processes in a restricted environment to limit their access to system resources and prevent potential harm to the host system.
What is a hypervisor and how does it function in virtualization?
Answer:
A hypervisor is software that enables the creation and management of virtual machines (VMs) by abstracting physical hardware.
It allocates resources such as CPU, memory, and storage to each VM and ensures isolation between them.
Distinguish between Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors.
Answer:
Type 1 hypervisors run directly on the host hardware (bare metal), while Type 2 hypervisors run on top of an existing operating system.
What is the purpose of control groups (cgroups) in Linux containers?
Answer:
Cgroups are used to limit, account for, and isolate the resource usage (CPU, memory, disk I/O, etc.) of collections of processes.
