Practice Free 200-201 Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) Exam Questions Answers With Explanation

 DNS amplification is a type of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack where an attacker uses publicly accessible open DNS servers to flood a target with DNS response traffic. The goal is to overwhelm the target with traffic, causing a denial of service.

The Zero Trust security model operates on the principle that no one is trusted by default from inside or outside the network, and verification is required from everyone trying to gain access to resources on the network. It emphasizes continuous monitoring, validation, and least-privilege access to minimize exposure to sensitive parts of the network.

 Zero Trust security | What is a Zero Trust network? | Cloudflare, Zero Trust Model: Unveiling 3 Core Principles for Enhanced Security, The Evolution of Zero Trust and the Frameworks that Guide It

 The log in the exhibit is generated by an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS). It contains information about a TCP connection attempt, including the source IP address, destination IP address, and other details related to the connection. The presence of “TCP MISS” indicates that the system detected an anomaly or potential threat during the connection attempt. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

The purpose of command and control (C&C) for network-aware malware is to allow an attacker to remotely control compromised systems. This includes sending commands to the malware, receiving data from the infected host, and updating the malware to evade detection or enhance its capabilities.

The CBROPS course materials cover the topic of network-aware malware and the role of command and control servers in managing such malware

 Encryption ensures that data is secure and unreadable to unauthorized individuals without the proper decryption key. It is a critical aspect of maintaining data confidentiality and security, especially in the transmission of sensitive information over potentially insecure networks1.

References := What Is Encryption? Explanation and Types - Cisco

 Rule-based detection is a type of intrusion detection system (IDS) that uses predefined rules or signatures to identify malicious or suspicious activity. Rule-based detection can provide proof of a user’s action, such as an attempt to exploit a known vulnerability or execute a malicious command. Rule-based detection can also provide a high level of accuracy and specificity, but it requires constant updates and maintenance of the rules or signatures. References: https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/understanding-cisco-cybersecurity-operations-fundamentals-cbrops-v1.0/CSCU-LP-CBROPS-V1-028093.html (Module 4: Attack Methods, Lesson 4.2: Attack Techniques)

 Behavior-based detection monitors the behavior of programs in real-time. If a piece of software acts similarly to known malware after it’s been executed, behavior-based detection can stop it in its tracks. Signature-based detection involves searching for known patterns of data within executable code; if a pattern matches a “signature” in the system’s database that is considered malicious. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

 Indicators of attack (IoAs) are signs that an attack may be in progress or imminent. Malware reinfection within a few minutes of removal (D) is a strong IoA because it suggests that the attacker has a persistent mechanism to redeploy malware, indicating an active compromise of the system.

Cisco’s Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals documents

 Tampered images are disk images that have been modified or altered in some way after they were captured from the original source. Tampered images may have different stored and computed hash values, which indicate that the integrity of the image has been compromised. Tampered images are not reliable or valid sources of evidence for forensic investigations, as they may contain false or misleading information. Untampered images are disk images that have not been changed or manipulated after they were acquired from the original source. Untampered images have the same stored and computed hash values, which verify that the image is an exact copy of the original disk. Untampered images are used for forensic investigations, as they preserve the original state and content of the disk and provide accurate and trustworthy evidence. References:

Contrasting tampered and untampered disk images

What is a difference between tampered and untampered disk images?

The QR field in the DNS header specifies whether the message is a query (QR=0) or a response (QR=1). This bit is set to 0 for query messages and is set to 1 for response messages, allowing the recipient to distinguish between the two.

Wireshark is a widely used network protocol analyzer that supports various capture file formats, including those generated by tcpdump.

The.pcapextension is a standard format for packet capture files and is fully supported by Wireshark.

The file extension or the inclusion of characters such as "-" in the file name does not impact Wireshark's ability to open and read the file.

When the engineer opens thesandboxmatware2022-12-22.pcapsfile in Wireshark, the tool will read the packet capture data, allowing for detailed analysis of network traffic.

References

Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

Wireshark User Guide

tcpdump and libpcap Documentation

A false positive in network security is when a benign action is incorrectly flagged as malicious, leading to legitimate traffic being blocked. This can disrupt normal network operations and access to services, as the security system mistakenly identifies normal behavior as a threat1.

References := The concept of false positives and their impact on network traffic is discussed in various cybersecurity resources, including Cisco’s own training materials and discussions on network security best practices1.

A close-up of several blue rectangular boxes Description automatically generated

Encryption is challenging to security monitoring because it can be used by threat actors as a method of evasion and obfuscation. Encryption can prevent security devices from inspecting the content or payload of the network traffic, making it difficult to detect malicious activity or signatures. Encryption can also hide the source and destination of the traffic, making it hard to trace the origin or destination of the attack. References: https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/understanding-cisco-cybersecurity-operations-fundamentals-cbrops-v1-0/CSCU-LP-CBROPS-V1-028093.html (Module 4, Lesson 4.1.1)

A buffer overflow attack occurs when more data is written to a buffer than it is designed to hold. This excess data can overwrite adjacent memory locations, leading to the execution of malicious code or crashing the system. Buffer overflows are a common vulnerability that attackers exploit to gain unauthorized access to systems.

Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS)

 The PCAP file in the exhibit shows a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) communication between two IP addresses. In the data section of the packet capture, “pdy/3.1… http/1” isvisible, indicating that HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is being used as the application protocol for this communication.

References := The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course material covers the analysis of network traffic using tools like packet analyzers to identify application protocols in use1.

Packet number 2318 is the one that contains a file that is extractable within Wireshark. This can be determined by the information provided in the packet details, which typically includes an HTTP GET request indicating the retrieval of a file, such as an image or document1.

 According to the NIST Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, the next step in handling an event after confirming a potential indicator of compromise on an endpoint is to collect public information on the malware behavior. This step involves searching for information from various sources, such as antivirus vendors, security blogs, threat intelligence feeds, and online forums, to learn more about the characteristics, capabilities, and impact of the malware. This information can help the SOC team to identify the type, severity, andscope of the incident, as well as to determine the appropriate response actions and mitigation strategies. Isolating the infected endpoint, performing forensics analysis, and prioritizing incident handling are subsequent steps that follow after collecting public information on the malware behavior. References:

Computer Security Incident Handling Guide

SP 800-61 Rev. 2, Computer Security Incident Handling Guide

Deep packet inspection (DPI) is a form of computer network packet filtering that examines the data part (and possibly also the header) of a packet as it passes an inspection point, searching for protocol non-compliance, viruses, spam, intrusions, or defined criteria to decide whether the packet may pass or if it needs to be routed to a different destination, or, for the purpose of collecting statistical information. It is a form of filtering employed at the security layer level of the OSI model. Stateful inspection, on the other hand, is a firewall technology that monitors the state of active connections and determines which network packets to allow through the firewall. Stateful inspection has largely replaced older technologies that were static and examined packets in isolation. Therefore, DPI is considered more secure because it examines the contents of the packets at Layer 7 (the application layer), while stateful inspection typically works up to Layer 4 (the transport layer).

Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS)

What Are Ports 139 And 445? SMB has always been a network file sharing protocol. As such, SMB requires network ports on a computer or server to enable communication to other systems. SMB uses either IP port 139 or 445. Port 139 - SMB originally ran on top of NetBIOS using port 139. NetBIOS is an older transport layer that allows Windows computers to talk to each other on the same network. Port 445 - Later versions of SMB (after Windows 2000) began to use port 445 on top of a TCP stack. Using TCP allows SMB to work over the internet. https://www.varonis.com/blog/smb-port SMB Ports 139 and 445 are open Email Ports 25 and 110 are closed Therefore "D. Email Ports are closed on the Server."

The command in the exhibit is a Snort rule that is configured to alert on TCP packets with the SYN flag set, where the source is not the home network (!$HOME_NET) and the destination is within the home network ($HOME_NET) on port 80. This rule is designed to detect potential SYN flood attacks targeting the internal network’s web server on port 80.

A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated

 During the negotiation phase of the TLS handshake, the client sends a “ClientHello” message to the server which includes information about TLS versions it supports, cipher-suites it supports and suggested compression methods. This initiates communication protocols for secure connection. References := Cisco Cybersecurity source documents or study guide

A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated

Delivery: This step involves transmitting the weapon to the target.

Weaponization: In this step, the intruder creates a malware weapon like a virus, worm or such in order to exploit the vulnerabilities of the target. Depending on the target and thepurpose of the attacker, this malware can exploit new, undetected vulnerabilities (also known as the zero-day exploits) or it can focus on a combination of different vulnerabilities.

Reconnaissance: In this step, the attacker / intruder chooses their target. Then they conduct an in-depth research on this target to identify its vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

Encryption allows the user to make the data incomprehensible without a specific key, certificate, or password. Encryption is a method of transforming data into a format that only authorized parties can access. Encryption can be used to protect data in transit or at rest from unauthorized access or modification. References: https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/understanding-cisco-cybersecurity-operations-fundamentals-cbrops-v1-0/CSCU-LP-CBROPS-V1-028093.html (Module 4, Lesson 4.1.1)

 Statistical detection relies on analyzing data over time to identify patterns and anomalies, without predefined rules. It uses algorithms and statistical models to determine normal behavior and identify deviations. Rule-based detection uses predefined rules or patterns to identify known threats or vulnerabilities, often based on signatures or behaviors associated with specific attacks.

The exhibit shows a log of HTTP GET requests, one of which includes a suspicious string that is indicative of a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack. XSS attacks involve injecting malicious scripts into webpages viewed by other users. These scripts can be used to steal information, redirect users to malicious websites, or perform actions on behalf of the user without their consent. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.3: Common Network Application Operations and Attacks, Topic 1.3.2: Web Application Attacks

A regular expression (regex) is a sequence of characters that defines a search pattern for text. A regex can be used to extract custom properties from log messages or events in a SIEM platform. In this case, the regex that matches the phrase “File: Clean” exactly is ^File: Clean$. The ^ symbol indicates the beginning of the line and the $ symbol indicates the end of the line. The regex ensures that no other characters are before or after the phrase. References:

Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, Module 5: Security Policies and Procedures, Lesson 5.3: Data and Event Analysis

200-201 CBROPS - Cisco, Exam Topics, 5.0 Security Policies and Procedures, 5.3 Analyze data as part of security monitoring activities

Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview - Cisco Learning Network, Videos, 5.3 Analyze data as part of security monitoring activities

Reflective XSS, also known as Non-Persistent XSS, occurs when an attacker sends a malicious script to a user through a web application, and the script is executed immediately in the user’s browser without being stored on the server. This type of attack is typically carried out by including the malicious script in a URL, which is then sent to the victim. When the victim clicks on the link, the script runs in their browser, reflecting the attacker’s actions without storing the payload for repeated use12. References: OWASP Foundation’s documentation on Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) provides detailed information on the different types of XSS attacks, including Reflective XSS

Exploitation - The targeted Environment is taken advantage of triggering the threat actor's code

Installation - Backdoor is placed on the victim system allowing the threat actor to maintain the persistence.

Command and Control - An outbound connection is established to an Internet-based controller server.

Actions and Objectives - The threat actor takes actions to violate data integrity and availability

A Certificate Authority (CA) is responsible for issuing digital certificates to validate the identity of the certificate holder and provide a means to establish secure communications over networks like the Internet. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Source Documents

The delivery phase of the Cyber Kill Chain model involves the transmission of the weapon to the targeted environment. In the case of a spear-phishing email, the delivery is the act of sending the email to the user. The email itself is the weapon, designed to exploit the recipient’s trust to cause a breach

SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems are solutions that provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by applications and network hardware. They collect, store, analyze, and report on log data for incident response, forensics, and regulatory compliance. On the other hand, SOAR (Security Orchestration Automation and Response) platforms allow organizations to collect data about security threats from multiple sources and respond to low-level security events without human assistance. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

 In the incident response process, detection and analysis involve researching an attacking host through logs in a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. This step helps in identifying, validating, and managing potential security incidents. References := Cisco CyberOps Associate - Module 3: Security Monitoring

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/performance/windows-registry-advanced-users

Privileges required is a metric in the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) that measures the level of access needed to launch a successful attack. The higher the privileges required, the lower the severity of the vulnerability. The privileges required metric has three possible values: none, low, and high. None means that the attacker does not need any privileges to exploit the vulnerability. Low means that the attacker needs privileges that provide basic user capabilities. High means that the attacker needs privileges that provide significant or administrative control over the target. References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, page 2-17; 200-201 CBROPS - Cisco, exam topic 1.3.c

A threat is a possible danger that might exploit a vulnerability to breach the security and cause harm to an asset. An asset is anything of value that needs to be protected, such as data, systems, or networks. A vulnerability is a weakness or flaw in the security that can beexploited by a threat. An exploit is a piece of code or a technique that takes advantage of a vulnerability to compromise the security and perform malicious actions on an asset. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.1: The CIA Triad and Security Concepts, Topic 1.1.3: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Exploits

 The attack surface is the sum of all paths for data into and out of the environment, such as network interfaces, applications, services, protocols, ports, and user accounts. The attack surface represents the exposure of the environment to potential threats and attacks. A vulnerability is an exploitable weakness in a system or its design that can allow an attacker to compromise the system or its data. A vulnerability is a subset of the attack surface, as not all paths for data are vulnerable. References: [Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Module 1: Security Concepts]

Host-based firewalls are designed to protect individual workstations from unwanted traffic by filtering incoming and outgoing network communications based on predefined security rules. They can block unauthorized access attempts and prevent potentially harmful traffic from reaching the system.

The regular expression ^ (?:[0-9]{1,3}.){3}[0-9]{1,3} is needed to capture the IP address 192.168.20.232. This regex matches any string that starts with three groups of one to three digits followed by a dot, and ends with one group of one to three digits. The IP address 192.168.20.232 matches this pattern exactly. The other options are either invalid or do not match the IP address format. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 5: Security Policies and Procedures, Lesson 5.3: Data and Event Analysis, Topic 5.3.2: Regular Expressions

The scenario described involves an attacker conducting an aggressive ARP scan followed by multiple SSH Server Banner and Key Exchange Initiations. The lack of visibility into the encrypted data transmitted over the SSH channel suggests that the attacker may have gained access by brute-forcing the SSH service. This method involves attempting numerous combinations of usernames and passwords until the correct credentials are found, allowing unauthorized access to the server.

Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course1.

Cisco Cybersecurity documents and resources

Statistical detection involves collecting data over time to define what is considered normal behavior or legitimate data for users or systems. It then uses statistical analysis to identify abnormal behavior that could indicate a security incident. Rule-based detection uses predefined rules or patterns that are based on known threats or vulnerabilities - it operates on an IF/THEN basis where if certain conditions are met then an alert is triggered. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

NetFlow is a network protocol developed by Cisco for collecting IP traffic information and monitoring network traffic. It collects metadata of the IP traffic flowing across networking devices like routers and switches. On the other hand, Traffic mirroring involves capturing all the data packets that flow through a particular point in the network to analyze or inspect them later. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

The regular expression provided is:.\.(pd][Oo][Cc)|[Xx][LI][Ss]|[Pp][Pp][Tt]) HTTP/1 .[01]

This regular expression is designed to match file extensions for Word (.doc), Excel (.xls), and PowerPoint (.ppt) files in HTTP network sessions.

The regular expression uses character classes and alternatives to match different case variations of these file extensions.

The part.\.(pd][Oo][Cc)|[Xx][LI][Ss]|[Pp][Pp][Tt])matches the file extensions, andHTTP/1 .[01]ensures that the match is in the context of HTTP version 1.0 or 1.1.

References

Cisco ASA Regular Expressions Documentation

Understanding Regular Expressions in Network Security

Filtering and Capturing HTTP Traffic with Regex

The log in the exhibit is generated by a firewall. It shows a deny action taken on TCP traffic, specifying the source and destination addresses and ports, which is characteristic of firewall logs. Firewalls are designed to control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, and this log entry reflects the enforcement of such a rule.

References :=

Cisco’s official documentation on firewall technologies and their log formats.

The Stealthwatch dashboard indicates that there is an active policy violation associated with host 10.201.3.149. Stealthwatch is a security analytics tool that uses network telemetry to detect and respond to threats. In this case, the dashboard has flagged a policy violation, which means that activity from this host has been detected that goes against the defined security policies, potentially indicating a security threat or unauthorized access.

References := Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) training material, which includes information on how to use tools like Stealthwatch to monitor network traffic and identify potential security threats1.

 A threat represents a potential danger that could exploit a weakness in a system while risk is associated with the potential impact or loss that could occur if a threat exploits a vulnerability in the system. So, option A which states “Threat represents a potential danger that could take advantage of a weakness in a system” is correct. References := Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview

The source IP address from an audit log that indicates a session which may have exploited a vulnerability is considered corroborative evidence. This type of evidence supports other evidence that suggests a security breach occurred. In the context of cybersecurity, corroborative evidence can help establish that an attack was carried out and can be used in conjunction with other data points to build a case during an investigation.

References := The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) training material discusses the types of data needed to investigate security incidents, which includes understanding the role of different types of evidence in building a security incident case1.

 When a server is experiencing high CPU and memory load, the first step is to identify the processes that are consuming the most resources. The command “ps -ef” is used to display information about all the running processes, including their IDs, memory and CPU usage, and the commands that started them. This allows the engineer to pinpoint which processes are responsible for the high load and take appropriate action, such as terminating unnecessary processes or optimizing resource usage345. References: Various resources on server management and troubleshooting recommend using the “ps -ef” command as a starting point for investigating high resource usage on servers

Protected data refers to any information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. In the scenario described, the engineer must identify data that is considered protected under privacy laws and regulations. Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI) are two types of data that are considered protected. PII includes any data that could potentially identify a specific individual, such as addresses and gender. PHI refers to any information about health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual. This is what makes both PII and PHI crucial to be identified and protected in compliance with data protection regulations.

The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course provides insights into identifying protected data and the importance of safeguarding it within a network1.

The difference between tampered and untampered disk images is:

Tampered Images: These are disk images that have been altered or modified in some way after their initial creation. The stored hash and the computed hash will not match if the image has been tampered with.

Untampered Images: These are disk images that have not been altered since their creation. They are considered authentic and reliable for forensic investigations. The stored hash and the computed hash will match, confirming that the image has remained unchanged.

Therefore, the correct answer is: D. Untampered images are used for forensic investigations.

The Delivery phase of the Cyber Kill Chain is the stage where an attacker transmits a malicious payload to the target. In phishing attacks, this typically occurs through email messages containing malicious links or attachments sent to intended victims.

In this scenario, the phishing emails were identified and blocked by the organization’s email antivirus solution before they reached users or were interacted with. This indicates that the attack was mitigated during the delivery phase, as the malicious content was stopped in transit and never executed on the target systems.

Weaponization refers to the creation of malicious payloads, which occurs before delivery. Command and Control involves establishing remote communication with compromised systems, which requires successful execution. Actions on Objectives represent the final stage where attackers achieve their goals, such as data theft or account compromise.

Cybersecurity operations fundamentals emphasize that email security controls are designed to disrupt attacks as early as possible in the kill chain. Blocking phishing emails at delivery significantly reduces risk and prevents downstream compromise.

Therefore, the correct answer is Delivery.

False positives and false negatives are terms used to describe the accuracy of security alerts. A false positive occurs when a security system incorrectly identifies benign activity as malicious, leading to unnecessary investigation and potential disruption of legitimate activities. Conversely, a false negative happens when a security system fails to detect actual malicious activity, allowing the attackers to proceed undetected. The impact of false positives is generally wasted time and resources investigating non-issues, while the impact of false negatives can be much more severe, potentially leading to undetected breaches and significant damage.

The CBROPS curriculum covers the concepts of false positives and false negatives in the context of security monitoring and alerting systems

A dictionary attack is a method used to break into a password-protected computer or server by systematically entering every word in a dictionary as a password. In the context of an authentication system that uses only 4-digit numeric passwords, a dictionary attack would involve trying all possible combinations of 4-digit numbers until the correct one is found.

Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course materials discuss various attack methods, including dictionary attacks, and how they can be used to compromise networks

An Nmap scan can provide detailed information about a network including the functionality and purpose of servers on that network as well as any services that are currently running on those servers. This information can be used by an attacker to identify potential vulnerabilities or targets for exploitation during a cyber attack. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Training

 In NetFlow log sessions within TCP connections; ACK flag is used for acknowledging that data has been successfully received while RST flag is used when there’s an error or when closing a connection spontaneously without following standard procedures. References := Cisco Cybersecurity source documents or study guide

The analyst is in the detection and analysis phase of the incident response process according to NIST SP800-61. In this phase, events are detected and analyzed to determine whether they constitute incidents that require a response. It involves monitoring security events or data collection, correlation, and analysis of log entries and network flow data, among others. The goal is to identify incidents quickly so that appropriate actions can be taken. References := NIST SP800-61, Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, Section 3.2: Detection and Analysis

 IP data stands for Intellectual Property data, which is any data that represents the creations of the mind, such as inventions, patents, designs, or artistic works. IP data is protected by law and has commercial value for its owners. In this case, the automotive company has a database of IP data for their engines and technical information, which customers can access after they register and identify themselves. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.2: Data Protection, Topic 1.2.1: Data Types

The image shows a piece of code within a bordered rectangular area.

It is a string of HTML code that appears to be an example of an attack, specifically “”.

The code suggests an attempt to execute JavaScript within an image source attribute, indicative of a cross-site scripting attack.

The PCAP file shows a network packet capture of an HTTP GET request from a client to a server. The User-Agent header field identifies the type and version of the client software that generated the request. In this case, the User-Agent is Mozilla/5.0, which indicates that the client is using a Mozilla-based browser or application. The User-Agent can help the server to customize the response based on the client’s capabilities and preferences. References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) v1.0, Module 3: Network Protocols and Services, Lesson 3.2: HTTP and HTTPS, Topic 3.2.1: HTTP Headers.

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 ARP cache poisoning is a type of attack that intercepts traffic on a switched network by sending spoofed ARP messages to associate the attacker’s MAC address with the IP address of a legitimate host or gateway. This way, the attacker can redirect the traffic intended for the legitimate host or gateway to his own device and perform a man-in-the-middle attack. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

Deep packet inspection (DPI) is a sophisticated method of examining the content of data packets as they pass through a network checkpoint, including both the header and the data payload. DPI is typically performed at the application layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. This allows the inspection process to evaluate the actual content of the packets, not just the header information, enabling the identification of various types of threats and the enforcement of network policies1.

References := The explanation aligns with the information provided by Digital Guardian, which details how DPI works and at which layer it is applied1.

Vishing is an attack where fraudsters impersonate legitimate entities via phone calls to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Source Documents

HTTPS uses SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transmission over the internet. This encryption makes it difficult to monitor HTTPS traffic because the data packets are encrypted making them unreadable to anyone trying to intercept or monitor the data without proper decryption keys. References := Cisco CyberOps Associate

 When communicating via TLS, part of the handshake process involves presenting a certificate containing the server name, the name of the trusted CA that issued the certificate, and the public key of the server. The client can verify the validity of the certificate and use the public key to encrypt the data sent to the server. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Source Documents

The log in the exhibit is generated by a firewall. It shows a deny action taken on TCP traffic, specifying the source and destination addresses and ports, which is characteristic of firewall logs. Firewalls are designed to control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, and this log entry reflects the enforcement of such a rule.

References :=

Cisco’s official documentation on firewall technologies and their log formats.

 tcpdump is an open-source packet capture tool that uses the libpcap library to capture network traffic on Linux and Mac OS X operating systems. It can display the contents of packets in various formats, filter packets based on criteria, and save packets to a file. tcpdump is a command-line tool that can be run on a terminal or a remote shell1 References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Module 2: Security Monitoring

The exhibit indicates that email traffic is being transmitted in clear text, meaning the contents of the communication are readable without encryption. In network intrusion analysis, this is commonly observed when Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) traffic is captured on standard ports such as 25 or 587 without Transport Layer Security (TLS) enabled.

Encrypted mail protocols, such as SMTPS on port 465 or SMTP with STARTTLS, protect message contents from being inspected by unauthorized parties. When encryption is not in use, sensitive information such as email headers, message bodies, usernames, and potentially passwords can be exposed to attackers performing packet capture or man-in-the-middle attacks.

Option A is incorrect because port 465 indicates encrypted SMTPS communication, which contradicts the observed plaintext traffic. Option B is incorrect because altered sequence and acknowledgment numbers would indicate session manipulation or injection, not lack of encryption. Option D refers to the function of an SMTP relay but does not describe the observed condition in the traffic.

Cybersecurity operations fundamentals stress the importance of detecting unencrypted protocols during network analysis, as they represent high-risk exposure points. Identifying plaintext email communication is a key responsibility of SOC analysts and often leads to remediation actions such as enforcing TLS or disabling insecure services.

Therefore, the correct conclusion is that mail communication is not encrypted, making Option C the correct answer.

Windows Security Event ID 4625 is generated when an account fails to log on. When a SOC analyst observes a large number of Audit Failure events occurring in rapid succession, this is a strong indicator of a brute-force authentication attack.

Brute-force attacks involve repeatedly attempting different username and password combinations to gain unauthorized access to a system. These attacks commonly target Windows servers exposed to internal or external networks and often focus on privileged or commonly used accounts. The repeated failures shown in the exhibit indicate that authentication attempts are being made unsuccessfully over a short time period, which is abnormal for standard user behavior.

Option A is incorrect because the logs clearly show that Windows auditing is functioning correctly and recording failures. Option B is incorrect because normal Windows activity does not generate large volumes of failed authentication events in a short time frame. Option D is incorrect because a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack targets system availability and resource exhaustion, not authentication mechanisms.

Cybersecurity operations documentation highlights failed login storms as one of the most common indicators of credential-based attacks. SIEM platforms are designed to alert analysts on such patterns because they often precede account compromise or lateral movement attempts.

 In TCP/IP networking, the ACK flag is used to acknowledge the receipt of a packet. It’s a way to confirm that the previous packets have been received and that the connection is proceeding as expected. The RST flag, on the other hand, is used to reset the connection. It is sent if a segment arrives which is not intended for the current connection, or if a connection request is to be denied. Essentially, the ACK flag is about maintaining the established connection, while the RST flag is about aborting connections that are not valid or are no longer needed123.

The information provided is based on standard TCP/IP protocol behavior as described in networking resources and Cisco’s cybersecurity documentation

The exhibit shows a pcap file capturing multiple TCP SYN packets directed at the same destination IP address.

High volume of SYN packets with very little variance in time: This pattern is indicative of a SYN flood attack, a type of Denial of Service(DoS) attack where numerous SYN requests are sent to overwhelm the target system.

SYN packets acknowledged from several source IP addresses: This can be indicative of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack where multiple compromised hosts (botnet) are used to generate traffic.

These characteristics suggest that the network is under a SYN flood or DDoS attack, aiming to exhaust the target's resources and disrupt service availability.

References

Understanding SYN Flood Attacks

Analysis of DDoS Attack Patterns

Wireshark Analysis Techniques for Intrusion Detection

Traffic mirroring is a technique that copies the traffic from a source port or VLAN to a destination port or VLAN, where it can be analyzed by a security device or tool. Traffic mirroring does not affect the original traffic flow and does not introduce any latency or modification to the packets. Inline traffic interrogation is a technique that forwards the traffic directly to the security device or tool, where it can be inspected and modified before being sent to the destination. Inline traffic interrogation can introduce latency and affect the performance of the network. References:

Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, Module 2: Security Monitoring, Lesson 2.2: Network Security Monitoring Tools

200-201 CBROPS - Cisco, Exam Topics, 2.0 Security Monitoring, 2.2 Describe the impact of various technologies on security monitoring

Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview - Cisco Learning Network, Videos, 2.2 Describe the impact of various technologies on security monitoring

The security scenario involves protecting the company from known issues that trigger adware and addressing a recent incident that could harm the system.

This scenario involves identifying vulnerabilities (weaknesses in the system that can be exploited) and threats (potential harm that can exploit these vulnerabilities).

A vulnerability is an inherent flaw in the system, while a threat is an event or condition that has the potential to exploit the vulnerability.

The security engineer needs to assess both the vulnerabilities present and the threats that could exploit these vulnerabilities to implement effective protection measures.

References

Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

Concepts of Vulnerability and Threat in Cybersecurity

Best Practices in Vulnerability Management

Social engineering is the practice of manipulating or deceiving people into performing actions or divulging information that can compromise the security of the organization. Asking questions about the company’s user account format and password complexity at a party is an example of social engineering, as the guest may be trying to gather information that can be used to launch a cyberattack. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals - Module 6: Security Incident Investigations

The improper use or disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) falls under the category of compliance because organizations are required to adhere to laws and regulations that protect the privacy and security of PII. This includes following guidelines set forth by privacy laws such as GDPR, HIPAA, and others that mandate the proper handling of personal data to prevent misuse and unauthorized access123.

References := Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS), Personally identifiable information (PII): What it is, how it’s used, and how to protect it, What is PII? Examples, laws, and standards, Overview of the Privacy Act: 2020 Edition

In cybersecurity, a threat is any potential malicious attack or event that can harm an organization, while a risk is the potential damage or loss that could occur if a threat exploits a vulnerability. Therefore, risk is considered the intersection of threats and vulnerabilities, representing the likelihood and impact of a threat materializing.

Network Address Translation (NAT) is the technology that allows a single IP address to send and receive traffic for multiple devices by modifying the IP header. NAT remaps one IP address space into another, enabling multiple devices to use a single public IP address to send and receive packets through the Internet2.

References := The concept of NAT and its role in network traffic management is detailed in networking resources and documentation, including those provided by network solution providers2.

 The event described falls under the ‘action on objectives’ category of the Cyber Kill Chain. This stage occurs after the attacker has established a foothold within the network and begins to execute their intended actions, such as data exfiltration. References: The Cyber Kill Chain framework outlines the stages of a cyberattack, with ‘action onobjectives’ being the final step where attackers achieve their primary goal, such as data theft

When a server is experiencing heavy CPU and memory load, the initial step is to identify the processes consuming the most resources. The command “ps -ef” provides a detailed view of all running processes, including their IDs, CPU, and memory usage, which helps in pinpointing the resource-intensive processes1234. References: This approach is supportedby various resources on server management and troubleshooting, which recommend using the “ps -ef” command as a starting point for investigating high resource usage on servers

In digital forensics, hash values are used to verify the integrity of disk images. When a disk image is created, cryptographic hash functions such as MD5 or SHA-256 are calculated and recorded. These hashes act as a digital fingerprint of the data at the time of acquisition.

An untampered disk image maintains the same hash value throughout the investigation, proving that the data has not been altered. A tampered disk image, however, will produce a different hash value because even the smallest modification to the data changes the resulting hash. This difference immediately indicates that the integrity of the evidence has been compromised.

Options A, C, and D are incorrect because encryption, access permissions, and compression do not define whether an image is tampered. Cybersecurity and forensic documentation consistently emphasizes hash verification as the primary method for validating forensic integrity.

Therefore, the key difference is that a tampered image has a different hash value, making Option B correct.

Upgrading to TLS v1.3 is recommended because it eliminates outdated cryptographic functions and reduces the risk of downgrade attacks, which can occur when attackers force connections to use weaker encryption. TLS v1.3 only supports secure cipher suites and algorithms, enhancing the security of communications.

The defense-in-depth principle is a strategy of applying multiple layers of security controls to protect an asset from threats. It is based on the assumption that no single security measure is sufficient to prevent all attacks, and that each layer adds more protection and reduces the risk of compromise. One example of applying the defense-in-depth principle is implementing alerts for unexpected asset malfunctions, which can indicate a potential security breach or incident. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.1: The CIA Triad and Security Concepts, Topic 1.1.4: Defense-in-Depth Principle

 Agent-based protection is a type of endpoint security that uses software agents installed on the devices to monitor and protect them. Agent-based protection can collect and detect all traffic locally, which means it can operate without relying on a network connection or a centralized server. Agent-based protection can also provide more granular and comprehensive visibility and control over the devices. References: https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/understanding-cisco-cybersecurity-operations-fundamentals-cbrops-v1.0/CSCU-LP-CBROPS-V1-028093.html (Module 2: Security Concepts, Lesson 2.3: Endpoint Security)

NetFlow provides a more efficient way of recording and analyzing network traffic patterns over an extended period of time compared to syslog messages, full packet capture, or firewall event logs. It collects metadata about traffic flows traversing the network devices which can be used for understanding normal baseline behavior as well as identifying anomalies. References := Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview

The logs indicating multiple local TCP connection events are typically provided by a firewall. Firewalls are responsible for monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, and they generate logs that detail such events, which can be used for further analysis and incident response. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is an approach to restricting system access to authorized users based on their roles within an organization. It depends on the job functions that individual users have as part of their responsibilities and is designed to reduce administrative work by assigning roles based on job competency, authority, and responsibility. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.2: Data Protection, Topic 1.2.2: Access Control Models

 CDFS stands for Compact Disc File System, which is a file system used by Mac OS to store data on CDs. CDFS is also known as ISO 9660, which is a standard format for data interchange on optical discs. CDFS allows files to be accessed by different operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Therefore, an ISO file that is stored in CDFS format is data from a CD copied using Mac-based system. References := Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) v1.0, Module 4: Network Intrusion Analysis, Lesson 4.4: File Type Analysis, Topic 4.4.1: File Systems, page 4-40.

The 5-tuple approach consists of protocol, source IP address, source port number, destination IP address, and destination port number to uniquely identify sessions between endpoints on a network. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Source Documents

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim’s data and demands a ransom for the decryption key. The attacker may also threaten to publish or delete the data if the ransom is not paid. In this case, the Egregor malware is distributed through a Cobalt Strike, which is a penetration testing tool that can be used to deploy payloads on compromised systems. The malware exfiltrates the victim’s data to a command and control server and uses it as leverage to extort money from the victim. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.3: Common Network Application Operations and Attacks, Topic 1.3.3: Malware Attacks

 In RBAC, access is based on the roles that users have within an organization, and permissions to perform certain operations are assigned to specific roles. DAC, on the other hand, is a type of access control where the access rights are determined by the owner of the resource or the resource itself.

In the NetFlow flow-record format, a dataflow set is a collection of data records that follow the template FlowSet in an export packet. Each data record corresponds to a flow and contains values for the fields defined in the template FlowSet. This allows for efficient organization and retrieval of flow information by NetFlow collectors.

Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS)

NetFlow Version 9 Flow-Record Format Documentation

 Traffic fragmentation is an evasion technique where an attacker splits malicious payloads into smaller packets. This can help avoid detection since some security systems may not reassemble these packets to inspect the complete payload.

The weaponization step in the Cyber Kill Chain Model involves the creation or use of a specific weapon (malware, exploit) designed to leverage a vulnerability.

This phase follows the reconnaissance phase where the attacker gathers information and precedes the delivery phase where the weapon is delivered to the target.

Developing specific malware to exploit a vulnerable server is a precise example of weaponization.

References

Lockheed Martin Cyber Kill Chain Model

Understanding the Weaponization Phase in Cyber Attacks

Steps in the Cyber Kill Chain

The exhibit shows a Stealthwatch dashboard displaying information on alarming hosts, alarms by type, and today’s alarms. On the left side under “Top Alarming Hosts,” there are five host IP addresses listed with their respective categories indicating different types of alerts including ‘Data Hoarding’ and ‘Exfiltration.’ In “Alarms by Type” section at center top part of image shows bar graphs representing various alarm types including ‘Crypto Violation’ with their respective counts. On right side under “Today’s Alarms,” there’s a table showing the details of each alarm such as the host IP, the alarm type, the severity, and the time. The potential threat identified in this dashboard is that host 10.201.3.149 is receiving almost 19 times more data than is being sent to host 152.46.6.91, which is a sign of data exfiltration. Data exfiltration is the unauthorized transfer of data from a compromised system to an external destination, such as a command and control server or a malicious actor. This can result in data loss, breach of confidentiality, and damage to the organization’s reputation and assets. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals - Module 7: Network and Host Forensics

An incident response plan is a document that defines the roles and responsibilities, procedures, and processes for detecting, analyzing, containing, eradicating, recovering, and learning from security incidents. The purpose of an incident response plan is to minimize the impact of incidents on the organization’s assets, operations, and reputation, and to restore normal operations as quickly as possible. An incident response plan is not the same as a security management plan, a disaster recovery plan, or a backup and archiving plan, although they may be related or complementary. References := Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, page 92; NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2, Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, page 2-3

Deep packet inspection (DPI) analyzes the data part (and possibly also the header) of a packet as it passes an inspection point, searching for protocol non-compliance, viruses, spam, intrusions, or defined criteria to decide whether the packet may pass or if it needs to be routed to a different destination. Stateful inspection, on the other hand, tracks the state of active connections and determines which network packets to allow through the firewall. While stateful inspection tracks the state of connections (Layer 4 - transport layer), DPI goes further by examining the payload of the packet (Layer 7 - application layer).

Cisco’s official documentation and cybersecurity courses would explain the differences between deep packet inspection and stateful inspection, including their respective layers of operation.