CS0-002 Sample Questions Answers

A vulnerability scan is a process of identifying and assessing known vulnerabilities in a system or network using automated tools or software1 A vulnerability scan can help improve the security posture of a vulnerability management program by detecting and prioritizing potential weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. To increase the security posture of a vulnerability scan, the following actions can be taken:

• Expand the ports being scanned to include all ports: This means scanning all possible ports on a system or network, not just the well-known or commonly used ones. This can help discover more vulnerabilities that may be hidden or overlooked on less frequently used ports.
• Increase the scan interval to a number the business will accept without causing service interruption: This means scanning more frequently or regularly, but not so often that it causes performance issues or downtime for the system or network. This can help keep up with new vulnerabilities that may emerge over time and reduce the window of opportunity for attackers.
• Enable authentication and perform credentialed scans: This means using login credentials or SSH keys on an asset to get deeper access to its data, processes, configurations, and vulnerabilities2 This can help discover more vulnerabilities that cannot be seen from the network, such as insecure versions of software or poor security permissions.

This solution is the best to accomplish the goal of blocking all non-corporate managed machines from connecting to the internal network. NAC stands for network access control, which is a method of enforcing policies and rules on network devices based on their identity, role, location, and other attributes. 802.1X is a standard for port-based network access control, which authenticates devices before granting them access to a network port or wireless access point.

The security analyst should review the known Apache vulnerabilities to determine if a compromise actually occurred. The SIEM alert indicates that an IDS signature detected an attempt to exploit a vulnerability in Apache Struts 2 (CVE-2017-5638), which allows remote code execution via a crafted Content-Type header4. The packet capture and TCP stream show that the attacker sent a malicious request with a Content-Type header containing an OGNL expression that executes the command “whoami” on the target server. However, this does not necessarily mean that the attack was successful, as it depends on whether the target server was running a vulnerable version of Apache Struts 2 or not. Therefore, the security analyst should review the known Apache vulnerabilities and compare them with the version of Apache Struts 2 running on the server to confirm if a compromise actually occurred or not.

A security information and event management (SIEM) system is a tool that collects and analyzes log data from various sources and provides alerts and reports on security incidents and events. A SIEM system can help the IT team to determine which devices are USB enabled by querying the log data for events related to USB device insertion, removal, or usage. The other options are not relevant or effective for this purpose. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 15; https://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/analyst/security-information-event-management-siem-implementation-33969

The CySA+ exam outline calls out “trusted firmware updates,” but trusted firmware itself is more commonly described as part of trusted execution environments (TEEs). Trusted firmware is signed by a chip vendor or other trusted party, and then used to access keys to help control access to hardware. TEEs like those used by ARM processors leverage these technologies to protect the hardware by preventing unsigned code from using privileged features."

Trusted firmware updates provide organizations with secure code signing, distribution, installation, and attestation for embedded devices. Embedded devices are devices that have a dedicated function and are part of a larger system or network, such as routers, cameras, sensors, etc. Embedded devices often run on firmware, which is a type of software that controls the device’s hardware and functionality. Firmware updates are essential for improving the performance, security, and reliability of embedded devices. However, firmware updates also pose risks of introducing vulnerabilities or malware into the devices if they are not properly secured. Trusted firmware updates are firmware updates that use cryptographic techniques to ensure the integrity, authenticity, and confidentiality of the firmware code and data. Trusted firmware updates typically involve four steps1:

• Code signing: The firmware code is digitally signed by the firmware developer or provider using a private key. The digital signature proves that the firmware code is from a trusted source and has not been tampered with.
• Distribution: The signed firmware code is securely transmitted to the embedded device or a trusted intermediary (such as a cloud service or a gateway) using encryption or other methods. The transmission ensures that the firmware code is not intercepted or modified by unauthorized parties.
• Installation: The embedded device verifies the digital signature of the firmware code using a public key that is stored in a secure location (such as a trusted platform module or TPM). The verification ensures that the firmware code is from a trusted source and has not been tampered with. The embedded device then installs the firmware code and reboots to apply the update.
• Attestation: The embedded device reports its firmware status and configuration to a trusted verifier (such as a cloud service or a gateway) using a cryptographic proof. The proof ensures that the embedded device has installed the correct firmware update and has not been compromised.

Trusted firmware updates provide organizations with several benefits for hardware assurance, such as2:

• Preventing unauthorized or malicious firmware updates that could compromise the security or functionality of embedded devices
• Detecting and mitigating firmware attacks or incidents that could affect the availability or performance of embedded devices
• Complying with regulatory or industry standards or best practices for firmware security
• Enhancing customer trust and satisfaction with embedded devices

Trusted firmware updates do not provide organizations with development, compilation, remote access, or customization for embedded devices (A), as these are software engineering tasks that are not directly related to firmware security. Trusted firmware updates do not provide organizations with security specifications, open-source libraries, or custom tools for embedded devices (B), as these are software resources that are not directly related to firmware security. Trusted firmware updates do not provide organizations with remote code execution, distribution, maintenance, or extended warranties for embedded devices ©, as these are software features or services that are not directly related to firmware security.

References: 1: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/24771/technical-controls  2: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/25888/security-development-lifecycle-sdl

Adding TXT @ “v=spfl mx include:_spf.comptia. org -all” to the DNS record can help to prevent outside entities from spoofing the company’s email domain, which is comptia.org. This is an example of a Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record, which is a type of DNS record that specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of a domain. SPF records can help to prevent spoofing by allowing the recipient mail servers to check the validity of the sender’s domain against the SPF record. The “-all” at the end of the SPF record indicates that any mail server that is not listed in the SPF record is not authorized to send email for comptia.org .

Memory cache and swap volume are types of media that are most volatile and should be preserved during a digital forensics investigation. Volatile media are those that store data temporarily and lose their contents when the power is turned off or interrupted. Memory cache is a small and fast memory that stores frequently used data or instructions for faster access by the processor. Swap volume is a part of the hard disk that is used as an extension of the memory when the memory is full or low .

Supervised and unsupervised machine-learning algorithms are two types of machine-learning methods that are used in cybersecurity applications. Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that enables systems to learn from data and improve their performance without explicit programming.

Supervised machine-learning algorithms are trained on labeled data, which means that each data point has a known outcome or class. Supervised algorithms learn to map input data to output data by finding patterns or rules from the training data. Supervised algorithms require security analyst feedback to provide labels for the data and evaluate the accuracy of the algorithm’s predictions. Examples of supervised machine-learning algorithms are classification and regression.

Unsupervised machine-learning algorithms are trained on unlabeled data, which means that each data point has no known outcome or class. Unsupervised algorithms learn to discover hidden structures or patterns from the data without any guidance or feedback. Unsupervised algorithms do not require security analyst feedback, as they do not rely on predefined labels or outcomes. Examples of unsupervised machine-learning algorithms are clustering and anomaly detection.

The best way to isolate and triage the host is to remove rules 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. These rules allow inbound and outbound traffic on ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP), and 443 (HTTPS) from any source or destination. By removing these rules, the security analyst can block any network communication to or from the host, preventing any further data exfiltration or malware infection. This will also allow the security analyst to perform a forensic analysis on the host without any interference from external sources.

Static analysis is the process of reviewing malware files without running them, by using tools such as hex editors, strings, and signature scanners. Static analysis can help extract basic information from malware files, such as file type, size, checksum, metadata, imports, exports, etc. Static analysis can also help identify known malware samples based on their signatures or hashes.

Based on the output of the “netstat -an” command, it seems that the web server is listening on port 80 for HTTP traffic and port 443 for HTTPS traffic. The anomalous traffic from 9.9.9.9 is accessing the web server on port 443, which means it is using a secure connection.

The best method to accomplish the task of restricting improper traffic from 9.9.9.9 is D. Adjusting the firewall. A firewall is a device or software that controls the flow of network traffic based on predefined rules. By adjusting the firewall rules, you can block or allow specific IP addresses, ports, protocols, or domains from accessing your web server.

Proactive threat-hunting is the process of actively searching for unknown threats in the network, rather than waiting for alerts or indicators of compromise. Some of the important reasons for performing proactive threat-hunting activities are:

• To uncover unknown threats that may have evaded detection by existing security tools or controls, and to mitigate them before they cause damage or data loss.
• To create a new security baseline that reflects the current state of the network, and to identify any anomalies or deviations from the normal behavior or activity.

Once the SDLC reached the development phase, code starts to be generated. That means that the ability to control the version of the software or component that your team is working on, combined with check-in/check-out functionality and revision histories, is a necessary and powerful tool when developing software.

The question refers to a "new" product so I believe that is key. However, it also makes it seem that it is about the development of a product that could be in production.

Regression testing focuses on testing to ensure that changes that have been made do not create new issues, and ensure that no new vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or other issues have been introduced.

A code review is a process that involves examining and evaluating the source code of a software application or system for security deficiencies, errors, bugs, or vulnerabilities. A code review can help improve the quality and security of the software product by identifying and fixing issues before they become operational problems. A code review is part of the evaluation and validation of a new product’s security capabilities. User acceptance testing, stress testing, or security regression testing are other types of testing that can be used to evaluate and validate a new product’s security capabilities, but they do not involve reviewing design changes at specific intervals for security deficiencies. Reference: https://www.synopsys.com/blogs/software-security/code-review/

Threat modeling is a process that helps identify and analyze the potential threats and vulnerabilities of a system or process. It can help evaluate the security risks and mitigation strategies of a new business process that would use existing infrastructure to process and store sensitive data. A black-box penetration testing engagement, a tabletop exercise, or a business impact analysis are other methods that can be used to assess the security or resilience of a system or process, but they are not as appropriate as threat modeling for coordinating the right training and testing methodology to respond to new business initiatives or significant changes to existing ones. Reference: https://owasp.org/www-community/Application_Threat_Modeling

A PCI assessment should be conducted prior to the deployment of a new application that contains SPI (Sensitive Personal Information). A PCI assessment is an evaluation of how well an organization complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which is a set of requirements for protecting cardholder data. PCI DSS applies to any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data, such as credit card numbers, expiration dates, or security codes4. A PCI assessment can help identify and remediate any gaps or weaknesses in the security controls of an application that handles cardholder data.

A jump box is a system that is connected to two networks and acts as a gateway or intermediary between them1. A jump box can help to isolate and secure a network by limiting the direct access to it from other networks. A jump box can also help to monitor and audit the traffic and activity on the network. A VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) is a technology that allows users to access virtual desktops that are hosted on a server2. A VDI can help to provide users with the necessary tools and applications for analysis without installing them on their own PCs. A VDI can also help to reduce the maintenance and management costs of the desktops. A VDI can operate in two modes: persistent and non-persistent. In persistent mode, each user has a dedicated virtual desktop that retains its settings and data across sessions. In non-persistent mode, each user has a temporary virtual desktop that is deleted or reset after each session3. In this scenario, deploying a jump box to allow access to the laboratory network and using VDI in non-persistent mode can meet the security objectives of the request. The jump box can prevent the partners’ PCs from connecting directly to the laboratory network and reduce the risk of unauthorized access or compromise. The VDI in non-persistent mode can provide the necessary tools for analysis without storing any data on the partners’ PCs or the virtual desktops. The VDI in non-persistent mode can also allow the partners to run long analyses without losing their progress or results. Deploying a firewall (B) may not be sufficient or effective, as a firewall only filters or blocks traffic based on rules and does not provide access or tools for analysis. Using VDI in persistent mode (A) © may not be secure or efficient, as persistent mode stores data on the virtual desktops that may be sensitive or confidential.

References: 1: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/jump-boxes-vs-firewalls/  2: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/26139/virtual-desktop-infrastructure-vdi  3: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31686/resource-exhaustion

mstsc.exe is the process name for Remote Desktop Connection, a program that allows users to connect to remote computers or servers over a network or the Internet12. mstsc.exe is an indicator of system compromise if the user did not initiate or authorize a remote connection, as it may mean that an attacker has gained access to the system and is using it to connect to other systems or exfiltrate data3.

CAN bus (Controller Area Network) is a vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other’s applications without a host computer1. CAN bus is a message-based protocol, designed originally for multiplex electrical wiring within automobiles to save on copper, but it can also be used in many other contexts. CAN bus enables each device to send and receive data on a shared network, reducing the need for complex wiring and increasing reliability and performance. CAN bus is one of the five protocols used in the on-board diagnostics (OBD)-II vehicle diagnostics standard. A vulnerability within the new fleet of vehicles that the company recently purchased is most likely targeting CAN bus, as it is a common and critical communication system in modern vehicles. An attacker could exploit a vulnerability in CAN bus to compromise or manipulate various vehicle functions or systems, such as braking, steering, engine control, airbags, etc. SCADA (A) stands for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition, which is a system that monitors and controls industrial processes or infrastructure2. SCADA is not a vehicle bus standard and is not likely to be targeted by a vulnerability within a fleet of vehicles. Modbus © is a serial communications protocol that connects industrial electronic devices3. Modbus is not a vehicle bus standard and is not likely to be targeted by a vulnerability within a fleet of vehicles. IoT (D) stands for Internet of Things, which is a network of physical objects that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet. IoT is not a vehicle bus standard and is not likely to be targeted by a vulnerability within a fleet of vehicles.

References: 1: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/24771/technical-controls  2: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/25888/security-development-lifecycle-sdl  3: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31686/resource-exhaustion : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13493/penetration-testing

The piece of code in the XML file is an example of a command injection attack, which is a type of attack that exploits insufficient input validation or output encoding to execute arbitrary commands on a server or system2 The attacker can inject malicious commands into an XML element that is processed by an XML handler on the server, and cause the server to execute those commands. The best solution to mitigate this type of attack is to implement a better level of user input filters and content sanitization, which means checking and validating any user input before processing it, and removing or encoding any potentially harmful characters or commands.

PII (Personally Identifiable Information) is any information that can be used to identify, contact, or locate a specific individual, either by itself or when combined with other information1. PII by itself is information that can uniquely identify an individual without any additional information. Examples of PII by itself are:

• Government ID. A government ID is a number or code that is issued by a government authority to an individual for identification purposes. Examples of government IDs are social security numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, etc. A government ID can uniquely identify an individual without any additional information.
• Birth certificate. A birth certificate is a document that records the birth of an individual and contains information such as name, date of birth, place of birth, parents’ names, etc. A birth certificate can uniquely identify an individual without any additional information.

Other examples of PII by itself are biometric data, DNA profile, fingerprints, etc. Examples of information that are not PII by themselves are:

• Job title. A job title is a name or description of a position or role in an organization. A job title does not uniquely identify an individual without any additional information, as many individuals can have the same job title.
• Employment start date. An employment start date is the date when an individual began working for an organization. An employment start date does not uniquely identify an individual without any additional information, as many individuals can have the same employment start date.
• Employer address. An employer address is the location of an organization where an individual works. An employer address does not uniquely identify an individual without any additional information, as many individuals can work at the same employer address.
• Mother’s maiden name. A mother’s maiden name is the surname that a woman had before she married. A mother’s maiden name does not uniquely identify an individual without any additional information, as many individuals can have the same mother’s maiden name.

Other examples of information that are not PII by themselves are gender, race, ethnicity, age, etc.

File carving is a technique that involves scanning the raw data bytes of a hard disk and rebuilding files by using information found in file headers and footers. File carving can help recover files that have been deleted or corrupted or that are not recognized by the file system. File carving does not rely on metadata or directory structures to locate files, but rather on file signatures or patterns that indicate the start and end of files. File carving can be performed manually or automatically using tools or software that support various file formats. Header analysis (A) is a technique that involves examining file headers to determine file types or formats. Header analysis can help identify files that have been renamed or disguised or that have unknown extensions. Header analysis does not involve reconstructing files by scanning raw data bytes. Metadata analysis © is a technique that involves examining metadata to extract information about files or file systems. Metadata analysis can help determine file attributes such as name, size, date, location, owner, etc. Metadata analysis does not involve reconstructing files by scanning raw data bytes

A hacktivist is a type of actor who uses hacking techniques to promote a political or social cause or agenda. Hacktivists often target websites or systems of organizations or governments that they oppose or disagree with, and deface them with messages or propaganda related to their cause. In this case, the hacktivist defaced the corporate websites with political propaganda.

Requests sent from the same IP address using different user agents are likely to be malicious or suspicious, as they indicate that an attacker is trying to evade detection or bypass security controls by changing their browser or device identification. These requests may indicate that an attacker is using automated tools or scripts to scan or attack the web server.

Requests identified by a threat intelligence service with a bad reputation are also likely to be malicious or suspicious, but they are not the source of the activity, as they originate from different IP addresses. These requests may indicate that an attacker is trying to exploit a vulnerability or perform reconnaissance on the web server.

Requests blocked by the web server per the input sanitization are not likely to be the source of the activity, as they indicate that the web server has successfully prevented an attack by validating and filtering any malicious input from the requests. These requests may indicate that an attacker is trying to inject malicious code or commands into the web server.

Failed log-in attempts against the web application are not likely to be the source of the activity, as they indicate that the web application has successfully prevented unauthorized access by verifying and rejecting any invalid credentials from the requests. These requests may indicate that an attacker is trying to guess or brute-force passwords or usernames for the web application.

Requests sent by NICs with outdated firmware are not likely to be the source of the activity, as they indicate that some devices on the network have not been updated with the latest security patches or features for their network interface cards (NICs). These requests may indicate that some devices are vulnerable to network attacks or have performance issues.

Existence of HTTP/501 status codes generated to the same IP address are not likely to be the source of the activity, as they indicate that the web server has encountered an error or does not support a request method from the client. These requests may indicate that an attacker is trying to use an invalid or unsupported method to access the web server.

The correct answer is B. Document exceptions with compensating controls to demonstrate the risk mitigation efforts. Compensating controls are alternative or additional controls that are implemented when the primary or required controls are not feasible or effective. Compensating controls can help to reduce the risk to an acceptable level and satisfy the regulatory requirements, as long as they are documented and justified1.

A. Manually review the baselines daily and document the results in a change history log is not correct. This option would not prevent the recurrence of the problem, as it does not address the root cause of why the remote units did not recover after scans were performed. Moreover, this option would create an unsustainable process, as it would require a lot of time and resources to manually review and document the baselines of all assets on a daily basis.

C. Implement a new scanning technology to satisfy the monitoring requirement and train the team is not correct. This option would not guarantee that the problem would not recur, as it is possible that the new scanning technology would also cause issues with the remote units or other assets. Furthermore, this option would incur additional costs and efforts to acquire, deploy, and maintain the new scanning technology and train the team on how to use it.

D. Purchase new remote units from other vendors with a proven ability to support scanning requirements is not correct. This option would not be feasible or cost-effective, as it would require replacing all the remote units with new ones from different vendors. This option would also introduce new risks and challenges, such as compatibility, interoperability, or vendor lock-in.

Prowler is a tool that can scan AWS environments for security issues and compliance violations. The Prowler report shows that there are two access keys for CloudDev user: access key 1 and access key 2. Access key 1 has not been used in more than 90 days, which violates the AWS CIS benchmark 1.4 (Ensure access keys are rotated every 90 days or less). Therefore, the best recommendation is to delete access key 1 and use access key 2 instead. Deleting CloudDev access key 1, deleting BusinessUsr access key 1, or deleting access key 2 are not appropriate recommendations based on the Prowler report. Reference: https://github.com/toniblyx/prowler

A routine vulnerability scan is a process of identifying and assessing known vulnerabilities in a system or network using automated tools or software3 A vulnerability scan does not necessarily mean that there is an active threat or exploit on the system or network, but rather that there are potential weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. The best next step after a routine vulnerability scan detected a known vulnerability in a critical enterprise web application is to evaluate the risk and criticality of the vulnerability, which means assessing the likelihood and impact of an exploit on the web application, and prioritizing the remediation actions based on the severity and urgency of the vulnerability.

A directory traversal attack is a type of web application attack that exploits insufficient input validation or filtering to access files or directories that are outside of the web root folder. A directory traversal attack can allow an attacker to read, modify, or execute files on the target server that are not intended to be accessible via web requests. The URL in the alert contains an example of a directory traversal attack, as indicated by the use of “…/” sequences in the query string. These sequences are used to navigate up one level in the directory hierarchy, potentially reaching sensitive files or folders on the server. In this case, the attacker is trying to access /etc/passwd file, which contains user account information on Linux systems.

The analyst should disclose details regarding the findings of the vendor’s latest penetration test summary as the first recommendation, as this can help assess the vendor’s security posture and identify any potential risks or issues that may affect the organization. The analyst should review the findings and ask for more information about the scope, methodology, and remediation actions of the penetration test, as well as any evidence or artifacts that support the findings.

A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legally binding contract that establishes a confidential relationship between two or more parties and prevents them from sharing or using certain information that is deemed sensitive, proprietary, or valuable1. An NDA can be used to protect intellectual property (IP) such as trade secrets, inventions, designs, or business plans from being disclosed to competitors or the public2.

A company that wants to ensure a third party does not take its IP and build a competing product can use an NDA to restrict the access, use, and disclosure of its IP by the third party. For example, if the company hires a contractor to develop a software application, the company can require the contractor to sign an NDA that prohibits the contractor from copying, modifying, selling, or revealing the source code or any other details of the application to anyone else3. The NDA can also specify the duration, scope, and consequences of the confidentiality obligation.

Multifactor authentication is a method of verifying a user’s identity by requiring two or more pieces of evidence, such as something the user knows (e.g., password), something the user has (e.g., token), or something the user is (e.g., fingerprint). Multifactor authentication is the best compensating control to help reduce authentication compromises when the organization’s enterprise password complexity rules are inadequate for its required security posture. Smart cards, biometrics, or increased password-rotation frequency are other possible controls, but they are not as effective or comprehensive as multifactor authentication. Reference: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3239144/what-is-multifactor-authentication-mfa-how-it-works-and-why-you-need-it.html

A communications plan is a document that outlines who should be notified and how during an incident response. It can also specify the roles and responsibilities of the incident response team members, the escalation procedures, and the communication channels. Consulting the communications plan is the most appropriate next step in an incident response plan after determining a security incident has occurred. Consulting the malware analysis process, the disaster recovery plan, or the data classification process may be relevant at later stages of the incident response, but not as the next step. Reference: https://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/incident/incident-handlers-handbook-33901

HSM (Hardware Security Module) is a computing device that manages digital keys, performs encryption/decryption functions, and maintains other cryptographic functions2. HSM is a dedicated crypto processor that is specifically designed for the protection of the crypto key lifecycle. HSM can store cryptographic keys that are used for encryption, authentication, digital signatures, and other security functions. HSM can also generate random keys that are unique to each device and never leave the chip. HSM can protect these keys from unauthorized access or tampering by using hardware isolation and encryption3. HSM can also measure and verify the integrity of the operating system and firmware on a device by using a process called attestation. HSM does not manage cryptography (A), as cryptography is the science or art of creating and using secret codes. HSM does not manage physical keys ©, as physical keys are tangible objects that are used to lock or unlock something. HSM does not manage algorithms (D), as algorithms are sets of rules or instructions that are used to solve problems or perform tasks.

References: 2: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/24771/technical-controls  3: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/25888/security-development-lifecycle-sdl

Regularly use SHA-256 to hash the directory containing the sensitive information. Monitor the files for unauthorized changes. This option is the best technique to ensure the integrity of the files and tie any changes to a specific user session. Hashing is a process that generates a unique value for a given input, and any modification to the input will result in a different hash value. By using SHA-256, which is a secure hashing algorithm, the analyst can compare the hash values of the files before and after each user session and detect any unauthorized changes.

This type of analysis is performed before the application is installed and active on a system, and it involves examining the code without actually executing it in order to identify potential vulnerabilities or security risks.

As per CYSA+ 002 Study Guide: Static analysis is conducted by reviewing the code for an application. Static analysis does not run the program; instead, it focuses on understanding how the program is written and what the code is intended to do.

Static analysis refers to scanning the source code or the compiled code of an application without executing it, to identify potential vulnerabilities, errors, or bugs. Static analysis can help improve the quality and security of the code before it is deployed or run4

Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an email authentication method that uses a digital signature to let the receiver of an email know that the message was sent and authorized by the owner of a domain1 DKIM helps prevent phishing emails that spoof or impersonate other domains by verifying the identity and integrity of the sender. DKIM works by adding a DKIM signature header to each outgoing email message, which contains a hash value of selected parts of the message and the domain name of the sender. The sender’s domain also publishes a public key in its DNS records, which can be used by the receiver to decrypt the DKIM signature and compare it with its own hash value of the message. If they match, it means that the message was not altered in transit and that it came from the claimed domain.

Pll stands for Personally Identifiable Information, and it is any data that can be used to identify, locate, or contact an individual. Examples of Pll include names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, bank account numbers, etc. The first step to secure the organization’s Pll is to identify what type of Pll is on the network, where it is stored, who has access to it, and how it is transmitted. This can help determine the scope and impact of the deficiency in the policies and procedures for Pll.

data exfiltration is the unauthorized transfer of data from an organization’s network to an external destination, usually for malicious purposes such as espionage, sabotage, or theft. The details given in the question suggest that data exfiltration is occurring from an endpoint device. The bursts of network utilization every seven days indicate periodic data transfers. The content being transferred appears to be encrypted or obfuscated to avoid detection or analysis. The persistent outbound TCP connection from the host to infrastructure in a third-party cloud indicates a possible command and control channel for an attacker. The HDD utilization on the device grows by 10GB to 12GB over the course of every seven days, and single file sizes are 10GB, indicating that large amounts of data are being collected and compressed before being exfiltrated.

A vulnerability scan is a process of identifying and assessing known vulnerabilities in a system or network using automated tools or software1 A vulnerability scan can help improve the security posture of a vulnerability management program by detecting and prioritizing potential weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. To increase the security posture of a vulnerability scan, the following actions can be taken:

• Expand the ports being scanned to include all ports: This means scanning all possible ports on a system or network, not just the well-known or commonly used ones. This can help discover more vulnerabilities that may be hidden or overlooked on less frequently used ports.
• Increase the scan interval to a number the business will accept without causing service interruption: This means scanning more frequently or regularly, but not so often that it causes performance issues or downtime for the system or network. This can help keep up with new vulnerabilities that may emerge over time and reduce the window of opportunity for attackers.
• Enable authentication and perform credentialed scans: This means using login credentials or SSH keys on an asset to get deeper access to its data, processes, configurations, and vulnerabilities2 This can help discover more vulnerabilities that cannot be seen from the network, such as insecure versions of software or poor security permissions.

MFA stands for multi-factor authentication, which is a method of verifying a user’s identity by requiring two or more pieces of evidence, such as something the user knows (e.g., password), something the user has (e.g., token), or something the user is (e.g., fingerprint). MFA is the best control to help prevent credential stuffing attacks from being successful, because even if an attacker obtains a valid username and password from a breached site, they would still need another factor to access the target site. SIEM, IDS, and TLS are other security controls, but they are not as effective as MFA for preventing credential stuffing attacks. Reference: https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/bots/what-is-credential-stuffing/

The planning stage of the SDLC process is when the project scope, objectives, requirements, risks, and deliverables are defined and agreed upon by all stakeholders. This stage also involves creating a project plan that outlines the tasks, resources, schedule, budget, and communication channels for the project.

The planning stage is crucial for ensuring that the project is aligned with the business goals and customer needs, and that the project team has a clear vision and direction for the development process. By overlooking this stage, the SOC staff did not receive contact details or escalation procedures to follow in case of a high-severity bug, which could have serious consequences for the security and functionality of the web application.

Detailed Explanation: Security regression testing is a type of testing that verifies that the security features and functionality of an application are not compromised or broken by any changes or updates in the code2. Security regression testing can help to ensure that the application follows industry best practices for secure coding and does not introduce any new vulnerabilities or weaknesses. Security regression testing can be performed manually or automatically using tools or scripts that check for common security flaws and compliance with security standards. Security regression testing can also help to validate the error-handling capabilities of an application by testing how it responds to different types of inputs and scenarios. Input validation (A) is a technique that checks whether the inputs to an application are valid and expected before processing them3. Input validation can help to prevent some types of security attacks, such as injection attacks or buffer overflows, but it is not a way to verify that an application follows industry best practices for secure coding. Input validation is part of secure coding, not a way to test it. Application fuzzing © is a technique that tests an application by sending random or malformed inputs to it and observing its behavior4. Application fuzzing can help to discover some types of security vulnerabilities, such as memory leaks or crashes, but it is not a comprehensive way to verify that an application follows industry best practices for secure coding. Application fuzzing may not cover all possible inputs and scenarios and may not check for compliance with security standards. User acceptance testing (D) is a technique that tests an application by involving end users or customers in evaluating its functionality and usability. User acceptance testing can help to ensure that an application meets the user requirements and expectations, but it is not a reliable way to verify that an application follows industry best practices for secure coding. User acceptance testing may not focus on security aspects and may not detect subtle or hidden security flaws. Stress testing (E) is a technique that tests an application by subjecting it to high levels of load or demand. Stress testing can help to evaluate the performance and reliability of an application under extreme conditions, but it is not a relevant way to verify that an application follows industry best practices for secure coding. Stress testing does not check for security issues and may not reflect normal usage patterns.

References: 2: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31686/resource-exhaustion  3: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13493/penetration-testing  4: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/25888/security-development-lifecycle-sdl : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/24771/technical-controls : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/32088/vm-escape

Industrial control systems (ICS) are systems that monitor and control physical processes, such as power generation, water treatment, manufacturing, and transportation. ICS are often critical for public safety and national security, and therefore a prime target for cyberattacks. One of the greatest security concerns regarding ICS is that issues on the systems cannot be reversed without rebuilding the systems. This means that any damage or disruption caused by an attack can have long-lasting and catastrophic consequences for the physical infrastructure and human lives. The other options are not true or not specific to ICS. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 13; https://www.us-cert.gov/ics/What-are-Industrial-Control-Systems

Spoofing, tampering, repudiation, information disclosure, denial of service, and elevation of privilege are part of a known threat modeling method called STRIDE. STRIDE is a mnemonic that stands for six categories of threats that can affect the security of a system or application. STRIDE was developed by Microsoft in 1999 and has been widely adopted as a threat modeling method by many organizations. STRIDE can help identify and prioritize potential threats based on their impact and likelihood1.

The /var/log/secure log file is a file that records security-related events on a Linux system, such as authentication attempts or sudo commands. The log file shows that the comptia user executed the sudo su command, which allows the user to switch to the root account and gain superuser privileges. The log file does not show that the comptia user knows the sudo password, knows the root password, or added himself or herself to the /etc/sudoers file. Reference: https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-log-files-location-and-how-do-i-view-logs-files/

A security analyst is reviewing the network security monitoring logs listed below and is most likely observing that 10.1.1.129 sent potential malicious requests to the web server and that 10.1.1.130 can potentially obtain information about the PHP version. The logs show that 10.1.1.129 sent two requests to the web server with suspicious parameters, such as “union select” and “or 1=1”, which are commonly used for SQL injection attacks. The logs also show that 10.1.1.130 sent a request to the web server with a parameter “phpinfo”, which is a function that displays information about the PHP configuration and environment, which can be useful for attackers to find vulnerabilities or exploit them. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 8; https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/SQL_Injection; https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.phpinfo.php

A daemon is a program that runs in the background on a system and performs certain tasks or services without user intervention. A daemon’s binary is the executable file that contains the code and instructions for the daemon to run. The server log shows that the daemon’s binary was changed on Aug 1 2020 at 00:00:01 by an unknown user with UID 0 (root). This is the greatest security concern, because it could indicate that an attacker has gained root access to the system and modified the daemon’s binary with malicious code that could compromise the system’s security or functionality. Four consecutive days of monitoring being skipped in the log, the process identifiers for the running service changing, or the PIDs continuously changing are not security concerns, but rather normal events that could occur due to system maintenance, updates, restarts, or scheduling. Reference: https://www.linux.com/training-tutorials/what-are-linux-daemons/

A blacklist is a list of domains, IP addresses, email addresses, or other identifiers that are known or suspected to be malicious or harmful. A blacklist can be used to block or filter unwanted or dangerous traffic from reaching a network or system2 Updating the blacklist can help prevent phishing campaigns by adding the domains or email addresses of the phishing sources to the list and preventing them from sending emails to the company’s employees.

The suspicious event was able to accomplish establishing persistence by creating a registry change that runs a command shell process every time a user logs on. The registry change modifies the Userinit value under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon key, which specifies what programs should run when a user logs on to Windows. By appending “cmd.exe,” to the existing value, the event ensures that a command shell process will be launched every time a user logs on, which can allow the attacker to maintain access to the system or execute malicious commands. The other options are not related to the registry change. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 10; https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/userinit-entry

A cipher suite is a set of algorithms that defines how the encryption, authentication, and integrity of data are performed during a secure communication session. Some cipher suites are considered vulnerable or weak because they use outdated or insecure algorithms that can be easily broken or compromised by attackers. The vulnerability scan results show that the web server accepts several vulnerable cipher suites, such as RC4, MD5, or DES. The best action for the analyst to recommend to developers is to change the web server so it no longer accepts the vulnerable cipher suites and only accepts the secure ones. Changing the web server so it only accepts TLSv1.2, only accepts cipher suites using AES and SHA, or offloading SSL/TLS to a WAF and load balancer are other possible actions, but they are not as specific or effective as changing the web server so it no longer accepts the vulnerable cipher suites. Reference: https://www.acunetix.com/blog/articles/tls-ssl-cipher-hardening/

Data sovereignty is the idea that data are subject to the laws and governance structures of the nation where they are collected1 Data sovereignty issues can impact organizational initiatives that involve transferring or storing data across different jurisdictions, such as moving to a cloud-based environment. Cloud computing involves using remote servers and networks to store and process data, which may be located in different countries or regions with different data protection laws and regulations2 This can create challenges for organizations that need to comply with data sovereignty requirements of their own country or their customers’ countries, such as data localization, data access, data security, data breach notification, etc3

References: 1 Data sovereignty - Wikipedia 2 What Is Data Sovereignty? Everything You Need to Know - Permission.io 3 What is data sovereignty? - IONOS

The company is transferring the risk for the vulnerability to the software vendor. Risk transfer is a risk treatment strategy that involves shifting the potential loss or impact of a risk to a third party, such as an insurance company or a vendor. Risk transfer does not eliminate the risk, but it reduces the organization’s exposure or liability for the risk1. In this scenario, the company is transferring the risk for the vulnerability in the out-of-support database software to the software vendor by signing an extended support contract. The extended support contract means that the software vendor will continue to provide security patches and updates for the software until the company can complete the software update. This reduces the likelihood and impact of a potential exploit of the vulnerability.

Validating user input before execution and interpretation can help to prevent dynamic code evaluation script injection vulnerabilities by checking and filtering any malicious input from the user that may contain code or commands. Dynamic code evaluation script injection is a type of vulnerability that occurs when an application accepts user input and executes or interprets it as part of its own code without proper validation or sanitization. This can allow an attacker to inject arbitrary code or commands into the application and execute them with the same privileges as the application . Validating user input before execution and interpretation can help to ensure that the input conforms to the expected format, length and type, and does not contain any malicious characters or syntax that may alter the logic or behavior of the application .

Scanning the network is what the user is attempting to do based on the log entries. The log entries show that the user is sending ping requests to various IP addresses on different ports using a proxy server. Ping requests are a common network diagnostic tool that can be used to test network connectivity and latency by sending packets of data and measuring their response time. However, ping requests can also be used by attackers to scan the network and discover active hosts, open ports, or potential vulnerabilities .

Automating the use of a hashing algorithm after verified users make changes to their data is an appropriate course of action to verify that a user’s data is not altered without the user’s consent. Hashing is a technique that produces a unique and fixed-length value for a given input, such as a file or a message. Hashing can help to verify the data integrity by comparing the hash values of the original and modified data. If the hash values match, then the data has not been altered without the user’s consent. If the hash values differ, then the data may have been tampered with or corrupted .

A firewall is a device or software that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined rules or policies. A firewall can help prevent unauthorized or malicious traffic from entering or leaving a network, and protect network resources from external threats. Placing a firewall in between the corporate network and the guest network can help prevent a guest device from infecting machines on the corporate network or taking down the company’s single internet connection, as it can block or filter any unwanted or harmful traffic from the guest network.

Resource exhaustion is most likely occurring on the server. Resource exhaustion is a condition where a system runs out of resources, such as CPU, memory, disk space, or network bandwidth, due to excessive demand or consumption by one or more processes. Resource exhaustion can cause performance degradation, system instability, or denial-of-service. The server statistics show that the CPU usage is 100%, the memory usage is 99%, and the disk usage is 98%. These indicate that the server is under heavy load and has little or no resources available to handle incoming requests or perform other tasks.

A good approach for modeling the client’s attack surface is to look at attacks against similar industry peers and assess the probability of the same attacks happening. This can help the consultant to identify the most relevant and likely threats for the client based on their industry sector, size, location, and other factors. This can also help the consultant to prioritize the most critical risks and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies. Asking for external scans from industry peers (A) may not be feasible or reliable, as industry peers may not share their scan results or have different security configurations and vulnerabilities than the client. Discussing potential tools the client can purchase (B) may not be effective, as tools alone cannot reduce the likelihood of an attack without proper implementation and management. Meeting with senior management team (D) may not be helpful, as funding is not directly related to modeling the attack surface and may depend on other factors such as budget constraints and risk appetite.

Modbus is a communication protocol that is widely used in industrial control systems (ICS). Modbus does not have any built-in security features, such as authentication or encryption, which makes it vulnerable to various attacks. One of the most common and effective attack techniques against Modbus assets is to send unauthenticated commands to manipulate or disrupt the operation of the devices. Remote code execution, buffer overflow, and certificate spoofing are other attack techniques, but they have less likelihood of quick success against Modbus assets. Reference: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405959517300045

Deploying whitelisting to the identified workstations would be the best method to protect these workstations from threats. Whitelisting is a technique that allows only authorized applications, processes, or users to run or access a system or resource. Whitelisting can help limit the attack surface and prevent malware or unauthorized software from running on a system3. Deploying whitelisting to the workstations that are at the end of life can help mitigate the risk of exploitation due to lack of patches or support from the vendor.

A communications plan is a document that outlines how information will be communicated during an incident response process. It defines who will communicate what information, when, how, and to whom4 A communications plan can identify who is the liaison between multiple lines of business and the public, as well as other stakeholders such as senior management, legal counsel, law enforcement, or media. A liaison is a person who acts as a link or intermediary between different parties or groups to facilitate communication and coordination.

The analyst should check if temporary files are being monitored first to respond to the issue. Temporary files are files that are created and used by applications for various purposes, such as storing data temporarily or caching data for faster access. However, temporary files are not meant to be permanent and are usually deleted when they are no longer needed or when the application is closed. Therefore, monitoring temporary files can generate many alerts from the file-integrity monitoring tool that are not relevant or useful for security purposes. The analyst should check if temporary files are being monitored and exclude them from the monitoring scope to reduce the number of alerts and focus on the files that should not change.

The analyst should isolate the container from production using a predefined policy template first. Isolating the container is a containment measure that can help prevent the spread of the compromise to other containers or systems in the cloud infrastructure. Containment is an important step in the incident response process, as it can limit the impact and damage of an incident. Using a predefined policy template can help automate and standardize the isolation process, ensuring that it is done quickly and consistently1.

Modbus is a communication protocol that is widely used in industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. However, Modbus was not designed to provide security and it is vulnerable to various cyberattacks. One of the main vulnerabilities of Modbus is the lack of authentication, which means that any device on the network can send or receive commands without verifying its identity or authority. This can lead to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or denial of service attacks on the ICS or SCADA system.

Some examples of attacks that exploit the lack of authentication in Modbus are:

• Detection attack: An attacker can scan the network and discover the devices and their addresses, functions, and registers by sending Modbus requests and observing the responses. This can reveal sensitive information about the system configuration and operation1.
• Command injection attack: An attacker can send malicious commands to the devices and modify their settings, values, or outputs. For example, an attacker can change the speed of a motor, open or close a valve, or turn off a switch23.
• Response injection attack: An attacker can intercept and alter the responses from the devices and deceive the master or other devices about the true state of the system. For example, an attacker can fake a normal response when there is an error or an alarm23.
• Denial of service attack: An attacker can flood the network with Modbus requests or commands and overload the devices or the communication channel. This can prevent legitimate requests or commands from being processed and disrupt the normal operation of the system14.

To mitigate these attacks, some security measures that can be applied to Modbus are:

• Encryption: Encrypting the Modbus messages can prevent eavesdropping and tampering by unauthorized parties. However, encryption can also introduce additional overhead and latency to the communication56.
• Authentication: Adding authentication mechanisms to Modbus can ensure that only authorized devices can send or receive commands. Authentication can be based on passwords, certificates, tokens, or other methods56.
• Firewall: Installing a firewall between the Modbus network and other networks can filter out unwanted traffic and block unauthorized access. A firewall can also enforce rules and policies for Modbus communication24.
• Intrusion detection system: Deploying an intrusion detection system (IDS) on the Modbus network can monitor the traffic and detect anomalous or malicious activities. An IDS can also alert the operators or trigger countermeasures when an attack is detected24.

A buffer overflow is a type of attack that exploits a vulnerability in an application or program that does not properly check the size or boundaries of an input. A buffer overflow occurs when an attacker supplies more data than the buffer can hold, causing the excess data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This can result in unpredictable behavior, such as crashes, errors, data corruption, or execution of malicious code2 The tool that the analyst ran against the executable supplied an input that was too long for the buffer allocated by the executable. This caused a buffer overflow in the executable’s memory, as indicated by the error message “Segmentation fault (core dumped)”.

The security analyst should set up a PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) between Company A and Company B and exchange shared certificates between the two entities. This will allow them to establish a more automated approach to secure data transfers between their ERP systems. A PKI is a system that provides encryption and authentication services using public key cryptography. A PKI consists of certificates, certificate authorities (CAs), and other components that enable users to securely exchange data over untrusted networks. By exchanging shared certificates between Company A and Company B, they can verify each other’s identity and encrypt their data using public and private keys.

The correct answer is D. Use a VPN to access the company’s data in the home office and keep the current solution for the business applications. A virtual private network (VPN) is a technology that creates a secure and encrypted connection over a public network, such as the internet. A VPN can allow users to access resources on a remote network, such as a server, as if they were on the same local network. A VPN can provide shared access from the remote office to the company’s data in the home office, while maintaining security and privacy1.

The difference between intentional and unintentional insider threats is their behavior. Intentional insider threats are malicious actors who deliberately misuse their access to harm the organization or its assets. Unintentional insider threats are careless or negligent users who accidentally compromise the security of the organization or its assets. Their access levels, risk factors, and rates of occurrence may vary depending on various factors, but their behavior is the main distinction. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 12; https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Insider_Threat_Mitigation_Guide_508.pdf

A forensic analyst is conducting an investigation on a compromised server. The first step that the analyst should do to preserve evidence is to back up all log files and audit trails. This will ensure that the analyst has a copy of the original data that can be used for analysis and verification. Backing up the log files and audit trails will also prevent any tampering or modification of the evidence by the attacker or other parties. The other options are not the first steps or may alter or destroy the evidence. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 16; https://www.nist.gov/publications/guide-collection-and-preservation-digital-evidence

 Cryptomining malware, or cryptojacking, is a type of malware that hides on a device and uses its computing resources to mine for valuable online currencies like Bitcoin. Cryptomining malware can cause performance issues, increased energy consumption, overheating, or hardware damage1 The analyst encountered cryptomining malware on the web server, as indicated by the following signs:

• The analyst was unable to log in remotely or on the console, as the malware blocked access to prevent detection or removal.
• The console messages showed that the server was running out of memory and CPU resources, as the malware consumed all available resources for mining.
• The network captures showed many packets with a signature of “Stratum”, which is a protocol used for communication between miners and mining pools2

The best step for the analyst to take next is to reboot the server and disable any cron jobs or startup scripts that start the mining software. This can help stop the mining activity and restore access to the server. The analyst should also scan the server for any other traces of malware and remove them.

The vulnerability assessment report shows that the device is using SSLv3, which is an outdated and insecure protocol for secure communication over a network. SSLv3 has several known vulnerabilities, such as POODLE, that allow attackers to decrypt or modify the encrypted data. To remediate this issue, the analyst should recommend reconfiguring the device to support only connections leveraging TLSv1.2, which is a newer and more secure protocol that provides stronger encryption, authentication, and integrity protection for the data transmitted over the network.

Change Management

o The process through which changes to the configuration of information systems are

monitored and controlled, as part of the organization's overall configuration

management efforts

o Each individual component should have a separate document or database record that

describes its initial state and subsequent changes

▪ Configuration information

▪ Patches installed

▪ Backup records

▪ Incident reports/issues

o Change management ensures all changes are planned and controlled to minimize risk of

a service disruption

Change management is a process that ensures changes to systems or processes are introduced in a controlled and coordinated manner. Change management helps to minimize the impact of changes on the business operations and avoid unintended consequences or errors3 Change management can help prevent the issue of utility installation affecting the web server cluster by ensuring that the utility is properly planned, tested, approved, documented, communicated, and monitored.

This line from the output most likely indicates that attackers could quickly use brute force and determine the negotiated secret session key, as it represents a weak cipher suite that uses an outdated encryption algorithm, a small key size, and no forward secrecy. A cipher suite is a combination of cryptographic algorithms and parameters that are used to establish a secure communication channel between two parties. The cipher suite in this line consists of four components: TLS_RSA_WITH_DES_CBC_SHA 56.

• TLS stands for Transport Layer Security, and it is a protocol that provides security and privacy for network communications.
• RSA stands for Rivest-Shamir-Adleman, and it is an algorithm that uses public-key cryptography for key exchange and authentication.
• DES stands for Data Encryption Standard, and it is an algorithm that uses symmetric-key cryptography for data encryption.
• CBC stands for Cipher Block Chaining, and it is a mode of operation that encrypts each block of data by XORing it with the previous ciphertext block.
• SHA stands for Secure Hash Algorithm, and it is an algorithm that produces a fixed-length hash value from any input data.
• 56 stands for the key size in bits, which indicates how strong or secure the encryption is.

The cipher suite in this line is weak because:

• DES is an outdated encryption algorithm that has been broken by brute force attacks, as it has a small key size of 56 bits, which can be easily guessed by modern computers.
• RSA does not provide forward secrecy, which means that if the RSA private key is compromised, all past and future communications encrypted with that key can be decrypted by an attacker.
• SHA is also an outdated hash algorithm that has been replaced by newer versions such as SHA-2 or SHA-3, as it has some vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

Static analysis is a method of analyzing software code without executing it, by using tools or techniques that check for syntax errors, logic errors, vulnerabilities, coding standards, and other quality issues. Static analysis can help software developers to correct the error-handling capabilities of an application before pushing it to production, as it can detect potential errors and bugs at an early stage of development. A web-application vulnerability scan (A) is a method of testing web applications for security flaws by simulating attacks and analyzing responses. It can be useful for finding vulnerabilities in web applications, but not for validating the error-handling capabilities of an application. A packet inspection © is a method of monitoring network traffic by examining the data packets that are sent and received over a network. It can be useful for detecting malicious or unauthorized activity on a network, but not for validating the error-handling capabilities of an application. A penetration test (D) is a method of evaluating the security of a system or network by simulating real-world attacks and exploiting vulnerabilities. It can be useful for assessing the overall security posture of a system or network, but not for validating the error-handling capabilities of an application.

References: : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/14436/static-analysis : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4160/web-application-security-scanner-was : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4010/packet-inspection : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13493/penetration-testing

A directory traversal attack is a type of web application attack that exploits insufficient input validation or improper configuration to access files or directories that are outside the intended scope of the web server. The log entries given in the question show several requests that contain “…/” sequences in the URL, which indicate an attempt to move up one level in the directory structure. For example, the request “/images/…/…/etc/passwd” tries to access the /etc/passwd file, which contains user account information on Linux systems. If successful, this attack could allow an attacker to read, modify, or execute files on the web server that are not meant to be accessible.

Sinkholing is a technique for manipulating data flow in a network; you redirect traffic from its intended destination to the server of your choosing. It can be used maliciously, to steer legitimate traffic away from its intended recipient, but security professionals more commonly use sinkholing as a tool for research and reacting to attacks1 Sinkholing can help prevent any impact to the company from similar attacks in the future by redirecting the malicious traffic from the compromised assets to a sinkhole server, where it can be monitored, analyzed, or blocked. Sinkholing can also prevent the compromised assets from communicating with their command and control servers or exfiltrating data to remote destinations.

DLP (Data Loss Prevention) is what the CISO wants to purchase. DLP is a solution that prevents unauthorized or accidental disclosure of sensitive data by monitoring, detecting, and blocking data transfers or downloads that violate predefined policies or rules3. DLP can also track and classify data assets based on various criteria, such as name, type, content, or data profile4. DLP can help protect data from insider threats, external attackers, or human errors.

Sinkholing is a technique for manipulating data flow in a network; you redirect traffic from its intended destination to a server of your choosing. It can be used maliciously, to steer legitimate traffic away from its intended recipient, but security professionals more commonly use sinkholing as a tool for research and reacting to attacks1.

For example, sinkholing can be used to redirect traffic from a botnet or a malware-infected host to a server under the control of the defender, where the traffic can be analyzed, blocked, or neutralized. This can help identify and isolate compromised devices, prevent command-and-control communication, and disrupt malicious activities2.

The other options are not the best solutions for the following reasons:

• Blocklisting is a technique for preventing access to or communication with certain IP addresses, domains, or applications that are known or suspected to be malicious. Blocklisting can be implemented using firewalls, routers, proxies, or software tools. Blocklisting can protect a network from unwanted or harmful traffic, but it does not redirect the traffic to a different destination.
• Geoblocking is a technique for restricting access to or communication with certain IP addresses, domains, or applications based on their geographic location. Geoblocking can be implemented using firewalls, routers, proxies, or software tools. Geoblocking can protect a network from unauthorized or undesirable traffic from specific regions or countries, but it does not redirect the traffic to a different destination.
• Sandboxing is a technique for isolating and executing potentially malicious code or applications in a separate and secure environment. Sandboxing can be implemented using virtual machines, containers, or software tools. Sandboxing can protect a network from malware infection or damage, but it does not redirect the network traffic to a different destination.

Promiscuous mode is the mode that must be supported by the scanner’s NIC to assist with the company’s request of passive network monitoring. Promiscuous mode is a mode of operation for a network interface controller (NIC) that causes the controller to pass all traffic it receives to the central processing unit (CPU) rather than passing only the frames that the controller is specifically programmed to receive. This mode is normally used for packet sniffing, the practice of collecting and logging packets that pass through the network for further analysis, such as the analysis of traffic or bandwidth usage1. Promiscuous mode makes sure all transmitted data packets are received and read by network adapters.

Implementing privileged access management (PAM) would be the best countermeasure to prevent the loss of customers’ sensitive data due to a rise in cyberattackers seeking PHI (Protected Health Information). PAM is a solution that helps to control and monitor the access and use of privileged accounts, such as administrator or root accounts, that have elevated permissions or access to sensitive data. PAM can help prevent unauthorized or accidental use of privileged accounts by enforcing strict access policies, such as requiring approval, authentication, or auditing for each access request. PAM can also help rotate or expire the passwords of privileged accounts to reduce the risk of compromise2. PAM can help protect PHI from cyberattackers who may try to exploit privileged accounts to access or exfiltrate sensitive data.

The grep command is a tool that searches for a pattern of characters in a file or input and prints the matching lines1 The egrep command is a variant of grep that supports extended regular expressions, which allow more complex and flexible pattern matching2 The more command is a filter that displays the contents of a file or input one screen at a time3 The pipe symbol (|) is used to redirect the output of one command to the input of another command. The redirection symbol (>) is used to redirect the output of a command to a file.

The command given in option C performs the following steps:

• It uses the more command to display the contents of the webserver.log file.
• It pipes the output of the more command to the grep command, which searches for lines that contain ‘*.xls’, which is a pattern that matches any file name ending with .xls (a spreadsheet file extension).
• It pipes the output of the grep command to the egrep command, which searches for lines that contain ‘return=200’, which is a pattern that matches any HTTP status code of 200 (which indicates a successful request).
• It redirects the output of the egrep command to a file named accessreport.txt, which contains the date, time, and IP address associated with any spreadsheet downloads.

EDR stands for endpoint detection and response, which is a type of security solution that monitors and protects all devices that are connected to a network, such as laptops and mobile phones. EDR can help to ensure that all devices are patched and running some sort of protection against malicious software by providing continuous visibility, threat detection, incident response, and remediation capabilities. EDR can also help to enforce security policies and compliance requirements across all devices .

Sanitizing the workstation and verifying countermeasures are restored are part of the eradication and recovery processes that the security analyst should perform next. Eradication is the process of removing malware or other threats from the affected systems, while recovery is the process of restoring normal operations and functionality to the affected systems. Sanitizing the workstation can involve deleting or wiping any malicious files or programs, while verifying countermeasures are restored can involve checking and updating any security controls or settings that may have been compromised .

Data loss prevention (DLP) is a set of policies and tools that aim to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data. DLP transport rules are rules that apply to email messages that are sent or received by an organization’s mail server. These rules can provide deep content analysis, which means they can scan the content of email messages and attachments for sensitive data patterns, such as client lists or contact information. If a rule detects a violation of the DLP policy, it can take actions such as blocking, quarantining, or notifying the sender or recipient. This would improve security and help prevent sales team members from sending sensitive client lists to their personal accounts. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 14; https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/security-and-compliance/mail-flow-rules/data-loss-prevention

The correct answer is C. Detection and monitoring. Detection and monitoring is a function that involves collecting, analyzing, and correlating data from various sources, such as threat feeds, logs, alerts, or events, to identify and respond to potential or ongoing threats. Detection and monitoring can help the organization to consume multiple threat feeds simultaneously and to provide actionable intelligence to various teams, such as security operations center (SOC) analysts, incident responders, or threat hunters. Detection and monitoring can also help the organization to leverage the intelligence to enrich security event data, such as adding context, severity, or priority to the events1.

A. Vulnerability management is not correct. Vulnerability management is a function that involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating the weaknesses or flaws in systems, applications, or networks that could be exploited by attackers. Vulnerability management can help the organization to reduce its attack surface and prevent potential breaches, but it does not directly involve consuming multiple threat feeds simultaneously or providing actionable intelligence to various teams.

B. Risk management is not correct. Risk management is a function that involves identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the risks that could affect the organization’s assets, operations, or objectives. Risk management can help the organization to prioritize and implement appropriate controls or mitigation strategies to reduce the likelihood or impact of the risks, but it does not directly involve consuming multiple threat feeds simultaneously or providing actionable intelligence to various teams.

D. Incident response is not correct. Incident response is a function that involves preparing for, detecting, containing, analyzing, and recovering from security incidents that compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the organization’s assets or operations. Incident response can help the organization to minimize the damage and restore normal operations as quickly as possible, but it does not directly involve consuming multiple threat feeds simultaneously or providing actionable intelligence to various teams.

1: Cybersecurity Analyst+ - CompTIA

Generating hashes for each file from the hard drive is the next action that the analyst should perform to ensure the data integrity of the evidence. Hashing is a technique that produces a unique and fixed-length value for a given input, such as a file or a message. Hashing can help to verify the data integrity of the evidence by comparing the hash values of the original and copied files. If the hash values match, then the evidence has not been altered or corrupted. If the hash values differ, then the evidence may have been tampered with or damaged .

This is the most effective way to improve performance, as it allows you to reduce the amount of domains in the blocklist and reduce the size of the ACLs. By reviewing the blocklist and removing domains that are no longer active or no longer pose a threat, the blocklist can be reduced and the ACLs updated accordingly. This will reduce the amount of traffic and processing power required to manage the blocklist, and can help improve overall performance.

Data masking is a technique that replaces sensitive data with fictitious but realistic data, thus preventing unauthorized access to the original data. Reencrypting the data sets using AES-256 would provide a stronger level of encryption than Triple DES, which has been deprecated by NIST due to its vulnerability to attacks12

References: 1 What Is AES-256 Encryption? How Does It Work? - MUO 2 Archived NIST Technical Series Publication

According to the CompTIA CySA+ Certification Exam (CS0-002) study guide, a tabletop exercise can be executed by internal managers to simulate and validate changes to the risk management plan, incident response plan, and system security plan. In a tabletop exercise, participants discuss and work through a simulated scenario, usually in a classroom or conference room setting, to evaluate their readiness and understanding of the proposed changes. This type of exercise can help to identify any potential issues or gaps in the proposed changes and can provide valuable insights for refining and improving the plans.

Automated security controls testing is a method that uses tools or scripts to verify that the security controls of a system or device are configured correctly and comply with the organization’s policies and standards. Performing automated security controls testing of expected configurations prior to production would help prevent a recurrence of the risk exposure caused by missing antivirus, unnecessary ports enabled, and insufficient password complexity. Performing password-cracking attempts, Nmap scans, or antivirus scans on all devices before they are released to production are other methods that can help detect some security issues, but they are not as comprehensive or efficient as automated security controls testing. Reference: https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/04/28/sp800-115.pdf

A data governance program is a collection of practices, policies, and procedures that manage, leverage, and protect the data assets of an organization1. It requires changing the workplace culture and adding some software1. To survey sensitive data within the organization, the most accurate method is to perform an enterprise-wide discovery scan that can identify and classify data from various sources and systems2. This way, the analyst can have a comprehensive view of the data landscape and its quality, security, accessibility, and usage. Consulting with an internal data custodian (B) or reviewing enterprise-wide asset inventory © may provide some insights, but not as accurate or complete as a discovery scan. Creating a survey and distributing it to data owners (D) may be time-consuming and unreliable, as data owners may not have the full knowledge or awareness of their data.

References: 1: https://www.analytics8.com/blog/8-steps-to-start-your-data-governance-program/  2: https://solutionsreview.com/data-management/the-best-data-governance-tools-and-software/

Threat hunting is a proactive process of searching for signs of malicious activity or compromise within a system or network, by using hypotheses, indicators of compromise, and analytical tools. Threat hunting can help improve detection capabilities by identifying unknown threats, uncovering gaps in security controls, and providing insights for remediation and prevention. Vulnerability scanning (A) is a reactive process of scanning systems or networks for known vulnerabilities or weaknesses that can be exploited by attackers. It can help identify and prioritize vulnerabilities, but not proactively hunt for threats. Red teaming © is a simulated attack on a system or network by a group of ethical hackers who act as adversaries and try to breach security controls. It can help test the effectiveness of security defenses and response capabilities, but not proactively hunt for threats. Penetration testing (D) is similar to red teaming, but with a more defined scope and objective. It can help evaluate the security of a system or network by simulating real-world attacks and exploiting vulnerabilities, but not proactively hunt for threats.

References: : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/33297/threat-hunting : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4160/web-application-security-scanner-was : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/32694/red-teaming : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13493/penetration-testing

The correct answer is D. Encryption. Encryption is a technical control that transforms data into an unreadable format using a secret key or algorithm. Encryption can protect data at rest by preventing unauthorized access, modification, or exfiltration of the data. Encryption can also protect data in transit and in use, depending on the type and level of encryption applied1.

Data Sovereignty means that data is subject to the laws and regulations of the geographic location where that data is collected and processed. Data sovereignty is a country-specific requirement that data must remain within the borders of the jurisdiction where it originated. At its core, data sovereignty is about protecting sensitive, private data and ensuring it remains under the control of its owner. You're only worried about that if you're in multiple locations. . https://www.virtru.com/blog/gdpr-data-sovereignty-matters-globally

Geographic access requirements are an appropriate technical control to implement to mitigate data sovereignty issues. Data sovereignty issues arise when data is subject to different laws and regulations depending on where it is stored or processed. For example, some countries may have stricter data protection or privacy laws than others, or may impose restrictions on cross-border data transfers. Geographic access requirements can help ensure that data is only accessed from locations that comply with the applicable laws and regulations, and prevent unauthorized access from locations that do not.

A virtual machine alternative is a solution that allows employees to access non-business-related websites on a separate virtual machine that is isolated from the company’s network and data. This way, the employees can browse the internet without compromising the security or performance of the company’s systems3

Volatile artifacts are data that is stored in a computer’s volatile memory while it is running, such as open network connections, running processes, encryption keys, and internet history. Volatile artifacts can provide valuable evidence for forensic investigations, especially for detecting and analyzing malware or malicious activities that do not leave traces on the hard drive. However, volatile artifacts are wiped off the system’s memory once the power is turned off, so they cannot be recovered later

A secure supply chain program is a set of processes and practices that aim to protect the supply chain from various risks, such as cyberattacks, data breaches, fraud, theft, sabotage, or natural disasters1. A secure supply chain program can help to ensure the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of the products, services, data, and systems involved in the supply chain. A secure supply chain program with governance means that there are clear roles, responsibilities, policies, procedures, and controls for managing the security of the supply chain. This can help to monitor and enforce the compliance of the third-party service provider with the requirement to source talent from its own country. A secure supply chain program with governance can also help to identify and mitigate any potential threats or vulnerabilities in the supply chain. Implementing blacklisting for IP addresses from outside the country (B) may not be sufficient or effective, as IP addresses can be spoofed or bypassed by attackers. Implementing strong authentication controls for all contractors © may not be relevant or adequate, as authentication controls do not prevent the sourcing of talent from other countries. Implementing user behavior analytics for key staff members (D) may not be applicable or useful, as user behavior analytics do not verify the origin or location of the talent.

A data minimization plan is a strategy that aims to reduce the amount and type of data that an organization collects, stores, and processes. It can help improve data privacy and protection by limiting the exposure and impact of a data breach or loss. Creating a data minimization plan is the best recommendation for a security officer who needs to find the most cost-effective solution to the current data privacy and protection gap. Requiring users to sign NDAs, adding access control requirements, or implementing a data loss prevention solution are other possible solutions, but they are not as cost-effective as creating a data minimization plan. Reference: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3603898/data-minimization-what-is-it-and-how-to-implement-it.html

Nessus is a vulnerability scanning and assessment tool that can be used to scan systems for potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses. It provides detailed reports on any critical and high-severity findings as referenced in the CVE database, making it the ideal tool for fulfilling the Chief Information Security Officer's request. Nikto, fuzzer, wireshark, and prowler are all security tools, but they are not applicable for the scenario described in the question. Here is a link to an article from CompTIA's website about Nessus for your reference: https://www.comptia.org/content/nessus-vulnerability-scanning-and-assessment-tool.

A port scan generated the output. A port scan is a type of attack that probes a host or a network for open ports or services. A port scan can help an attacker discover potential vulnerabilities or entry points for further exploitation. The output shows that tcpdump captured packets with different flags, such as SYN, ACK, RST, and FIN, which indicate different stages of the TCP three-way handshake or connection termination. The output also shows that the source IP address 192.168.1.100 sent packets to different destination ports on the target IP address 192.168.1.101, such as 22, 23, 25, 80, and 443. These are common ports that an attacker would scan to find out what services are running on the target.

Incident management is a process that aims to handle a control failure that leads to a breach by restoring normal operations as quickly as possible and minimizing the impact and damage of the incident. Incident management involves activities such as identifying, analyzing, containing, eradicating, recovering, and learning from security incidents. Risk assessment, root cause analysis, and vulnerability management are other processes related to security management, but they are not designed to handle a control failure that leads to a breach. Reference: https://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/incident/incident-handlers-handbook-33901

A custom script is a piece of code that can be written to perform a specific task or automate a process. A custom script can be used to gather patch information on a specific server by querying the server’s operating system, registry, or patch management software and retrieving the relevant data. A custom script can be more flexible and efficient than other methods, such as Event Viewer, SCAP software, or CI/CD, which may not provide the exact information needed or may require additional steps or tools.

 The analyst should check for change tickets as the next step, given that the firewall is reporting different firmware versions on scans than were reported in previous scans. Change tickets are records of any authorized changes made to a system or a network, such as updating firmware, installing patches, or modifying configurations. Checking for change tickets can help verify if the firmware change was intentional and approved, or if it was unauthorized or malicious.

This is the best method to operationalize these loCs to detect future attacks because it allows the company to collect, correlate, analyze, and alert on the indicators of compromise (loCs) from various sources and systems. A SIEM stands for security information and event management, which is a software or service that provides centralized visibility and management of security events and data.

Third-party assessment. A third-party assessment is a process that explores the risk posed to your organization by third-party vendors along the supply chain. This process evaluates the likelihood that your business is exposed to different third-party risks such as compliance risk, operational risk, financial risk, security risk and cybersecurity risk1.

A third-party assessment can help the CSO gain a better understanding of the prospective company’s cybersecurity posture by:

• Providing an independent and objective evaluation of the vendor’s security policies, controls, and practices.
• Identifying any gaps or weaknesses in the vendor’s security posture that could compromise your organization’s data, systems, or reputation.
• Recommending actions or improvements to mitigate or reduce the identified risks and enhance the vendor’s security performance.

A third-party assessment can also help the CSO identify risks in the supply chain by:

• Mapping and tracing the data flow and dependencies among the vendor and its subcontractors or suppliers.
• Assessing how the vendor and its subcontractors or suppliers safeguard data and comply with relevant regulations and standards.
• Detecting any signs of malicious or negligent behavior by the vendor or its subcontractors or suppliers that could harm your organization or its customers.

In this scenario, the issue is related to manipulation of the public-facing web form, indicating that attackers might be altering the prices before submitting the form. One of the best ways to prevent such attacks is to implement input validation, which can help ensure that the data submitted to the web form is correct, complete, and in the expected format. Input validation can also help prevent SQL injection and other types of web-based attacks.

The software development life cycle (SDLC) is a process that consists of several phases that guide the development of software applications or systems. Security should be involved in every phase of the SDLC, but especially in the planning phase, which is the first phase where the scope, objectives, requirements, and resources of the project are defined. By involving security in the planning phase, potential risks and threats can be identified and mitigated early in the process, which can save time, money, and effort later on. Design, maintenance, implementation, analysis, and testing are other phases of the SDLC, but they are not the first phase where security should be involved. Reference: https://www.bmc.com/blogs/software-development-life-cycle-phases/

Potential data loss to external users is a threat that applies to this situation, where the accounting department is hosting an accounts receivable form on a public document service. Anyone with the link can access it. Data loss is an event that results in the destruction, corruption, or unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential data. Data loss can occur due to various reasons, such as human error, hardware failure, malware infection, or cyberattack. In this case, hosting an accounts receivable form on a public document service exposes the data to potential data loss to external users who may access it without authorization or maliciously modify or delete it .