Practice Free CS0-002 CompTIA CySA+ Certification Exam (CS0-002) Exam Questions Answers With Explanation

The correct answer is B. Extract the server’s system timeline, verifying hashes and network connections during a certain time frame. A system timeline is a chronological record of the events and activities that occurred on a system, such as file creation, modification, or deletion, process execution, registry changes, or network connections. A system timeline can help an analyst to understand how an attacker compromised a server by showing the sequence of actions and artifacts left by the attacker. An analyst can also verify the hashes of the files and processes involved in the compromise and compare them with known malware signatures or databases. Additionally, an analyst can check the network connections made by the server during the compromise and identify the source and destination IP addresses, ports, and protocols used by the attacker1.

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.

The host “lincoln” violates the organizational policies that require dedicated user accounts to run programs that need elevated privileges. The log file shows that the user “ldavis” tried to run programs such as “su root”, “sudo apache.bin”, and “sudo grep” on the host “lincoln”, which indicate attempts to gain elevated privileges or access sensitive files. The other hosts do not show any evidence of policy violation.

Requiring the internet portal to be accessible from only the corporate SSO internet endpoint and requiring a smart card and PIN. This option provides the best MFA requirement because it uses two factors of authentication: something you have (smart card) and something you know (PIN). It also restricts access to the portal from a trusted source (corporate SSO internet endpoint).

The syslog entries show the attempts of users to run commands with elevated permissions on two servers: webserver and financeserver. The entries include the date and time, the server name, the command used (su or sudo), the user name, and the outcome (success or failed). The policy of the organization states that users should always run commands under their own account, with temporary administrator privileges if necessary. This means that users should use sudo to run commands as another user (usually root), rather than su to switch to another user’s account. Therefore, the entry that should cause the analyst the most concern is D. <100> 2020-01-10T19:34…002z financeserver su 201 32001 = BOM ’ su vi success. This entry shows that someone used su to switch to another user’s account on the financeserver and successfully edited a file with vi. This could indicate an unauthorized access or a compromised account.

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.

SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) reduces the amount of human intervention required, which is an advantage over SIEM (Security Information and Event Management). SIEM is a tool that collects, analyzes, and correlates data from various sources, such as logs, alerts, and events, to provide security monitoring and incident detection. SIEM can help security teams identify and prioritize potential threats, but it still requires manual intervention to investigate and respond to incidents2. SOAR is a tool that builds on SIEM by automating and orchestrating various security tasks and workflows, such as incident response, threat hunting, and threat intelligence. SOAR can help security teams reduce manual effort, improve efficiency, and accelerate incident resolution3.

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.

This is the technique that the analyst should use to analyze the increase in failed login attempts on the network. Event correlation is a process that analyzes multiple events or logs from different sources and identifies patterns, relationships, or causal links between them. Event correlation can help reveal the root cause, scope, impact, and sequence of a security incident.

Regression testing is a type of software testing that ensures that a recent program or code change has not adversely affected existing features123 Regression testing is useful for checking if previously patched vulnerabilities have not been reintroduced by the new update.

Stress testing is a type of software testing that evaluates the performance and reliability of a system under extreme conditions, such as high load, limited resources, or concurrent users. Stress testing is not directly related to checking for vulnerabilities.

Code review is a process of examining the source code of a software program to find and fix errors, improve quality, and ensure compliance with standards and best practices. Code review can help prevent vulnerabilities from being introduced in the first place, but it does not verify that existing features are working as expected after a code change.

Peer review is a process of evaluating the work of another person or group of people, such as a research paper, a report, or a design. Peer review can provide feedback and suggestions for improvement, but it does not test the functionality or security of a software product.

This best describes the utility of the structured loC data contributed by other members of the information sharing and analysis center (ISAC) for its sector. loC stands for indicator of compromise, which is a piece of information that suggests a potential intrusion or attack, such as an IP address, a file hash, a domain name, or a malware signature. By sharing loC data, the ISAC members can benefit from each other’s threat intelligence and improve their security defenses.

A managerial control is a function of management that involves setting performance standards, measuring performance, and taking corrective actions when necessary. A managerial control helps to regulate the organizational activities and ensure that they are aligned with the organizational goals and objectives1. One of the functions of a managerial control is to help design and implement the security planning, program development, and maintenance of the security life cycle. The security life cycle is a process that defines the phases of security activities from initiation to disposal2. A managerial control can help to establish the security policies, procedures, roles, and responsibilities for each phase of the security life cycle. A managerial control can also help to monitor and evaluate the security performance and effectiveness of each phase and take corrective actions if needed.

An incident response plan should cover the most important and likely scenarios that could compromise the security and operations of an organization. According to various sources of best practices123, an incident response plan should start by conducting a risk assessment to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities, and prioritize the critical systems that need to be protected and restored in case of an incident. Focusing on incidents that affect critical systems ensures that the incident response plan covers the most severe and impactful situations that could harm the organization’s mission, reputation, or legal obligations.

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

 IPS and SIEM are technologies that can help secure sensitive data on critical networks by implementing controls to mitigate APTs. IPS stands for Intrusion Prevention System, and it is a device or software that monitors network traffic and blocks or prevents malicious packets or activities based on predefined rules or signatures. IPS can help detect and stop APTs that may try to exploit vulnerabilities or bypass security controls on critical networks. SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management, and it is a system that collects, correlates, analyzes, and reports security data from various sources, such as logs, alerts, events, etc. SIEM can help identify and respond to APTs that may exhibit anomalous or suspicious behavior patterns on critical networks.

The server violates the policy of no network access to the internet because it has an established connection to an external IP address (216.58.194.174) on port 443, which is used for HTTPS traffic. This indicates that the server is communicating with a web server on the internet, which is not allowed by the policy. The other policies are not violated because SSH is only used for management of the server (not for accessing other devices), users are utilizing their own accounts (not logging in as an administrator), and unnecessary services are not enabled (only SSH and HTTPS are running). References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 9; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_server

Packets with internal source IP addresses do not enter the network from the outside. This firewall rule can prevent external IP spoofing, which is an attack technique that involves forging the source IP address of a packet to impersonate another host or network. By blocking packets with internal source IP addresses from entering the network from the outside, the firewall can filter out spoofed packets that claim to originate from the internal network.

Developing a query to search for the indicators of compromise is the first action the analyst should take in this situation. Indicators of compromise (IOCs) are pieces of information that suggest a system or network has been compromised by an attacker. IOCs can include IP addresses, domain names, file hashes, URLs, or other artifacts that are associated with malicious activity. Developing a query to search for IOCs can help to identify any potential incidents or threats in the environment and initiate further investigation or response .

The DMARC record’s policy tag is incorrectly configured and explains why the company’s requirements are not being processed correctly by mailbox providers. The policy tag (p) specifies how mailbox providers should handle messages from the domain that fail DMARC checks. The possible values for the policy tag are none, quarantine, or reject1. None means that no action is taken on failed messages and only reports are sent. Quarantine means that failed messages are treated as suspicious and may be filtered or marked as spam. Reject means that failed messages are rejected and not delivered. In this case, the company’s DMARC record has a policy tag value of none, which means that mailbox providers will not ignore any email that fails DMARC as required by the company. Instead, mailbox providers will deliver all messages from the domain regardless of their DMARC status and only send reports to the company. To fix this issue, the company should change its policy tag value to reject, which means that mailbox providers will reject and ignore any email that fails DMARC as required by the company. The DMARC record’s DKIM alignment tag (A) is not incorrectly configured and does not explain why the company’s requirements are not being processed correctly by mailbox providers. The DKIM alignment tag (adkim) specifies how strictly mailbox providers should match DKIM identifiers with From domain identifiers2. The possible values for DKIM alignment tag are s or r. S means strict alignment, which means that DKIM identifiers must exactly match From domain identifiers. R means relaxed alignment, which means that DKIM identifiers must match From domain identifiers at an organizational level (e.g., subdomain.example.com and example.com are considered aligned). In this case, the company’s DMARC record has a DKIM alignment tag value of r, which means that mailbox providers will use relaxed alignment for DKIM verification. 

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

SIEM software is a tool that provides a single centralized platform for the collection, monitoring, and management of security-related events and log data from across the enterprise1. SIEM software can help security analysts detect, investigate, and respond to threats, as well as comply with regulations and standards.

IPS stands for Intrusion Prevention System. It is a device or software that monitors network traffic and blocks or modifies malicious packets before they reach their destination2. IPS can help security analysts prevent attacks, protect sensitive data, and reduce network downtime.

A security analyst working for a biotechnology lab that is planning to release details about a new cancer treatment would most likely be monitoring for A. Intellectual property loss. Intellectual property (IP) refers to the creations of the mind, such as inventions, designs, artistic works, or trade secrets3. IP loss occurs when someone steals, leaks, or misuses the IP of an organization without authorization.

The biotechnology lab’s new cancer treatment is an example of IP that has high value and potential impact on the market and society. Therefore, the security analyst would want to protect it from competitors, hackers, or other malicious actors who might try to access it illegally or sabotage it. The security analyst would use SIEM software and IPS to monitor for any signs of unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or tampering with the lab’s network or systems.

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the files or disks of a victim’s device and demands a ransom for the decryption key. Ransomware can cause significant damage, disruption, and data loss for individuals and organizations. To prevent this type of incident in the future, the best strategy is to combine user education and data protection. A ransomware awareness program can help users recognize and avoid potential ransomware attacks, such as phishing emails, malicious attachments, or compromised websites. A secure and verifiable backup system can help users recover their data in case of a ransomware infection, without paying the ransom or relying on the attackers. A backup system should be regularly tested and updated, and stored offline or in a separate location from the original data.

The correct answer is B. The analyst should block requests to no-thanks.invalid. The log snippet shows a DNS query from host 192.168.1.67 to the public resolver 8.8.8.8 for the domain name no-thanks.invalid, which is resolved to the IP address 102.100.20.20. This is a possible indicator of compromise (IOC), as no-thanks.invalid is a known malicious domain that is used by attackers to exfiltrate data or execute commands on compromised hosts1. The analyst should block requests to this domain to prevent further communication with the attacker’s server and investigate the host 192.168.1.67 for signs of infection.

A. The analyst should disable DNS recursion is not correct. DNS recursion is a process where a DNS server queries other DNS servers on behalf of a client until it finds the authoritative answer for a domain name2. Disabling DNS recursion would prevent the DNS server from resolving any domain names that are not in its cache or zone files, which would affect the normal functionality of the network and the internet access of the clients.

C. The analyst should disconnect host 192.168.1.67 is not correct. Disconnecting host 192.168.1.67 would stop the communication with the malicious domain, but it would also disrupt the legitimate activities of the host and its user. Moreover, disconnecting the host would not remove the malware or root cause of the compromise, and it would not prevent the host from reconnecting to the malicious domain once it is online again.

D. The analyst should sinkhole 102.100.20.20 is not correct. Sinkholing is a technique that redirects malicious or unwanted traffic to a controlled destination, such as a fake or isolated server3. Sinkholing 102.100.20.20 would prevent the communication with the malicious domain, but it would also require access and control over the public resolver 8.8.8.8, which is not owned or managed by the analyst or the company.

E. The analyst should disallow queries to the 8.8.8.8 resolver is not correct. Disallowing queries to the 8.8.8.8 resolver would prevent the communication with the malicious domain, but it would also affect the resolution of other legitimate domain names that are not in the local DNS server’s cache or zone files.

1: DNS Tunneling: how DNS can be (ab)used by malicious actors 2: What Is DNS Recursion? 3: What Is a Sinkhole Attack?

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

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.

The communication plan is an important part of incident response, as it outlines how and when information about the incident should be shared with external entities.

A communication plan is a set of procedures and protocols that define how an organization should communicate with external entities during times of emergency or security incident. The plan typically outlines how and when information about the incident should be shared, and ensures that any relevant stakeholders are informed of the incident in a timely manner. It also serves as a guide for determining what information to share with outside parties. Here is a link to an article from CompTIA's website about the importance of a communication plan for incident response for your reference: https://www.comptia.org/content/incident-response-communication-plan

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.

https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/Password_Spraying_Attack

A credential stuffing attack would be using the full credentials and most likely being used across many common platforms. A credential stuffing attack depends on the reuse of passwords. With so many people reusing their passwords for multiple accounts, just one set of credentials is enough to expose most or all of their accounts.

The security analyst needs to investigate further the source IP address 10.50.180.49. This IP address belongs to a private network that is not routable on the internet. However, the firewall usage report shows that this IP address has sent traffic to an external destination on port 443 (HTTPS). This could indicate that the IP address is spoofed or compromised by an attacker who is using it to exfiltrate data or communicate with a command-and-control server.

Resource exhaustion occurs when a system runs out of resources such as memory, CPU, disk space, or network bandwidth due to excessive demand or poor management1. In this case, the server statistics show that the CPU usage is 100%, the memory usage is 99%, and the disk usage is 98%, indicating that the system is suffering from resource exhaustion. This can affect the performance and availability of the system and its applications. A race condition (A) is a condition where the system’s behavior depends on the sequence or timing of other uncontrollable events2. Privilege escalation (B) is a situation where an attacker gains unauthorized access to higher privileges or permissions on a system3. VM escape (D) is a technique where an attacker breaks out of a virtual machine and interacts with the host operating system.

References: 1: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31686/resource-exhaustion  2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_condition  3: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4111/privilege-escalation : https://www.techopedia.com/definition/32088/vm-escape

Documenting the chain of custody is an important step in the forensic analysis of any device, as it helps to ensure that all evidence is collected and preserved correctly. A memory dump is also essential, as it can provide information about the state of the device when the attack occurred and can be used for further analysis.

Documenting the respective chain of custody can help to preserve the integrity and admissibility of the evidence collected from the mobile device during the forensic analysis. Chain of custody is a record of who handled, accessed or modified the evidence, when, where, how and why . Performing a memory dump of the mobile device for analysis can help to extract volatile data from the mobile device that may contain valuable information about the ransomware attack, such as processes, network connections or encryption keys. Memory dump is a process of copying the contents of the memory (RAM) to a file or storage device .

References: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/23371/chain-of-custody https://www.techopedia.com/definition/10339/memory-dump

Keeping IPS rules up to date is the best way to mitigate attacks that use advanced evasion techniques. An IPS (intrusion prevention system) is a security device that monitors network traffic and blocks or prevents malicious activity based on predefined rules or signatures. Advanced evasion techniques are cyberattacks that combine various evasion methods to bypass security detection and protection tools, such as IPS. Keeping IPS rules up to date can help to ensure that the IPS can recognize and block the latest advanced evasion techniques and prevent them from compromising the network .

If an analyst observes evidence of an attack but cannot find an exploit that adequately explains the observations, it may indicate the presence of a zero-day vulnerability, which is an unknown vulnerability that attackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access to systems. In such cases, traditional security tools may not be able to detect or prevent the attack. Therefore, the analyst should investigate further to identify and mitigate the vulnerability to prevent further exploitation.

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.

Implementing a secure supply chain program with governance would be the best way to ensure the third-party service provider meets the requirement of only sourcing talent from its own country. A secure supply chain program is a set of policies, procedures, and controls that aim to protect the integrity and security of the products and services delivered by third-party vendors. A secure supply chain program can help mitigate the risks of geopolitical and national security interests by verifying the origin, identity, and trustworthiness of the vendors and their employees1. Governance is a key component of a secure supply chain program, as it provides oversight, accountability, and enforcement of the policies and procedures.

Acceptance testing is a type of testing that involves verifying that an application meets the needs and expectations of the business and the end users. Acceptance testing is usually performed by users or customers who evaluate the application’s functionality, usability, performance, reliability, and compatibility. Acceptance testing helps to ensure that the application delivers the required value and quality before it goes into production.

 The first step the analyst should take to prevent further spread of the mining operation is to quarantine all the impacted hosts for forensic analysis. Quarantining the hosts can help isolate them from the network, and prevent them from communicating with other devices or servers that may be part of the mining operation. Forensic analysis can help identify the source and scope of the infection, and provide clues for remediation and recovery.

 The order of priority for risk mitigation from highest to lowest is C, B, A, D. This order is based on applying the risk mitigation policies of the organization. According to the first policy, risks without compensating controls will be mitigated first if the risk value is greater than $50,000. Risk C has no compensating controls and a risk value of $75,000, so it is the highest priority. Risk B also has no compensating controls, but a risk value of $40,000, so it is the second priority. According to the second policy, other risk mitigation will be prioritized based on risk value. Risk A has a risk value of $60,000 and a compensating control of encryption, so it is the third priority. Risk D has a risk value of $50,000 and a compensating control of backup power supply, so it is the lowest priority.

 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 security analyst can create a custom rule on a SIEM system to automate the incident response process for malware infections. For example, the analyst can create a rule that triggers an alert email when the SIEM system detects logs that match the criteria of malware infection, such as process name, file name, file hash, etc. The alert email can be sent within 30 minutes or any other desired time frame. The other options are not suitable or sufficient 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

Port triggering is a technique that allows inbound traffic to access certain ports on a device only after an outbound traffic request has been made from those ports. It can enhance the security and performance of a device by opening ports only when needed and closing them when not in use. The output from the network enumeration activities shows that port 21 (FTP) and port 22 (SSH) are open only after port 80 (HTTP) has been accessed, which indicates that port triggering is most likely being used. A web application firewall, an intrusion prevention system, port isolation, or port address translation are other techniques that can affect network traffic, but they do not match the description of the output from the network enumeration activities. Reference: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/3846/port-triggering

 UEFI, or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, is a specification that defines the software interface between an operating system and platform firmware. UEFI replaces the legacy BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) interface that was used to boot and configure computers. UEFI provides several advantages over BIOS, such as faster boot times, better security features, larger disk support, graphical user interface, etc. One of the security features that UEFI supports is Secure Boot, which is a mechanism that ensures that only authorized software can run during the boot process. Secure Boot prevents unauthorized or malicious code from loading or executing before the operating system starts. Secure Boot works by verifying the digital signature of each piece of boot software against a database of trusted keys stored in UEFI firmware. If the signature is valid, the software is allowed to run; otherwise, it is blocked or rejected.

SOAR has a wider breadth of capability using orchestration and automation, while SCAP is more limited in scope. SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) is a technology that helps coordinate, execute and automate tasks between various people and tools within a single platform. SOAR can help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of security operations by reducing manual effort, enhancing collaboration, and accelerating incident response1. SCAP (Security Content Automation Protocol) is a standard that enables automated vulnerability management, measurement and policy compliance evaluation of systems deployed in an organization2. SCAP can help assess the security posture and compliance status of systems by using predefined specifications and checklists. However, SCAP does not provide orchestration or automation capabilities beyond vulnerability scanning and reporting.

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/

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 .

Stack counting is the best threat-hunting method for the analyst to use to observe and assess the number of times a specific activity occurs and aggregate the results. Stack counting is a technique that involves collecting data from multiple sources, such as logs, events, or alerts, and grouping them by a common attribute, such as an IP address, a user name, or a process name. Stack counting can help identify patterns, trends, outliers, or anomalies in the data that may indicate malicious activity or compromise.

The disclosure section of an organization’s incident response plan should cover how the organization handles public or private disclosures of an incident. The disclosure section should contain the organization’s legal and regulatory requirements regarding disclosures, such as the type, content, format, timing, and recipients of the disclosures. The disclosure section should also specify the roles and responsibilities of the personnel involved in the disclosure process, such as who is authorized to make or approve disclosures, who is responsible for communicating with internal and external stakeholders, and who is accountable for ensuring compliance with the disclosure requirements. The disclosure section should not focus on how to reduce the likelihood customers will leave due to the incident (A), as this is a business objective rather than a disclosure requirement. The disclosure section should not include the names and contact information of key employees who are needed for incident resolution ©, as this is an operational detail rather than a disclosure requirement. The disclosure section should not contain language explaining how the organization will reduce the likelihood of the incident from happening in the future (D), as this is a remediation action rather than a disclosure requirement.

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

According to the CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-002) best practices, the most useful information data points to provide to the security manager for communicating the risk factors to senior management are the impact and adversary capability. The impact refers to the potential consequences of a successful attack or exploitation of a vulnerability, such as data loss or system compromise. The adversary capability refers to the ability of an attacker to exploit a vulnerability, including their technical expertise and resources. Together, these data points help to provide a complete picture of the risk associated with a vulnerability, and allow senior management to make informed decisions regarding risk mitigation and remediation. The other data points, such as probability, attack vector, classification, and indicators of compromise, can also be valuable, but the impact and adversary capability are considered the most critical for prioritizing risk mitigation efforts.

The calc entry is a suspicious registry entry that should be investigated first by the analyst. The calc entry is located in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry key, which is a common location for malware to persist and execute on system startup. The calc entry has a data value of “C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe”, which is the path to the legitimate Windows Calculator program. However, this program does not need to run on system startup, and it could be a disguise for a malicious executable that has replaced or renamed the original calculator program. The calc entry could also be a sign of a fileless malware attack, where the attacker uses the legitimate calculator program to execute malicious commands or scripts in memory1.

Dynamic analysis is a method for end-to-end vulnerability assessment that involves testing an application while it is running, by simulating user inputs, network traffic, or environmental conditions. Dynamic analysis can help identify security issues that may arise from the interaction between different components of the application, such as logic flaws, input validation errors, or session management weaknesses.

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.

The most secure states for the certificate authority server when it is not in use are powered off and air gapped. Powering off the server will prevent any unauthorized access or tampering with the server while it is idle. Air gapping the server will isolate it from any network connections, making it inaccessible to remote attackers or malware. These measures will help to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the certificate authority server and its keys.

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/

VDI means virtual desktop interface. Using VDI, you can maintain a standard image and remove the threat of an infected machine plugging into your network.

A firewalled environment for client devices and a secure VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) for BYOD users would be the most likely recommendation for securing the proposed solution. A firewalled environment can help isolate and protect the client devices from unauthorized network access or attacks. A secure VDI can provide a virtualized desktop environment for BYOD users that can be centrally managed and controlled by the organization. A VDI can also prevent data leakage or malware infection from BYOD devices, as the data and applications are stored on the server side rather than on the device itself5.

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

Data enrichment is a process that adds event and non-event contextual information to security event data in order to transform raw data into meaningful insights123. Geolocation is one example of contextual information that can be used to enrich security event data, such as IP addresses, and provide more information about the physical locations of threat actors. Data enrichment can help security analysts perform threat detection, threat hunting, and incident response more effectively and efficiently.

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.

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.

Communicate the security incident to the threat team for further review and analysis. This would allow the threat team to investigate the source and nature of the malicious traffic and create appropriate alerts or signatures to detect it in the future. Sharing details with human resources, noting the incident, or reporting it to a manager would not increase the chance of detection.

Segmenting the network to include all legacy systems is a strategy that can prevent the propagation of the malware throughout the network, by isolating the systems that cannot be patched from the rest of the network. Segmenting the network can also reduce the exposure and impact of the malware, by limiting its access to other resources or systems.

Data execution prevention (DEP) is a security feature that prevents code from being executed in memory regions that are marked as data-only. This helps mitigate buffer overflow attacks, which are a type of attack where a program overwrites data to a buffer beyond its allocated size, potentially allowing malicious code to be executed. DEP can be implemented at the hardware or software level and can prevent unauthorized code execution in memory buffers. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 10; https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/memory/data-execution-prevention

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.

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

RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) is a solution that would work best to assist the help desk with the onboarding and offboarding process while protecting the company’s assets. RBAC is a method of granting access to resources based on the roles of users within an organization. RBAC simplifies the management of user permissions by assigning predefined roles to users based on their job functions, rather than granting individual permissions to each user. RBAC can help automate the onboarding and offboarding process by enabling the help desk to quickly create or delete user accounts and assign or revoke access rights based on the roles of the users1. RBAC can also help protect the company’s assets by enforcing the principle of least privilege, which means that users only have access to the resources they need to perform their duties and nothing more2.

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

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.

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

Building the chain-of-custody document is the procedure that must be completed first for this type of evidence acquisition. The chain-of-custody document is a record that tracks the handling and custody of digital evidence from the time it is collected until it is presented in court. The chain-of-custody document should include information such as the media model, serial number, size, vendor, date, and time of acquisition, as well as the names and signatures of the persons who handled, transferred, or examined the evidence. The chain-of-custody document helps to preserve the integrity and admissibility of the evidence by preventing tampering, alteration, or loss1.

These steps are the best to confirm and respond to the incident because they preserve the state of the compromised server for further analysis and evidence collection. Pausing the virtual machine prevents any further changes or damage by the attacker, while taking a snapshot creates a copy of the virtual machine’s memory and disk contents.

A tabletop exercise is a simulation of a security incident or scenario that involves the participation of key stakeholders and decision-makers. It can be used to test and validate the effectiveness of the organization’s plans, policies, and procedures, such as the risk management plan, incident response plan, and system security plan. A tabletop exercise can also help identify gaps or weaknesses in the plans and improve the communication and coordination among the participants. An internal management review, a control assessment, a peer review, or a scripting are other possible methods to evaluate and validate a new product’s security capabilities, but they are not as comprehensive or interactive as a tabletop exercise. Reference: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3444488/what-is-a-tabletop-exercise-how-to-run-a-security-scenario-in-6-steps.html

The security incident response process is a set of procedures and guidelines that define how to identify, contain, analyze, and recover from security incidents that compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an organization’s assets or operations. Initiating the security incident response process for unauthorized access is the first and most appropriate action that the analyst should take, as it would allow the analyst to follow a structured and consistent approach to handle the situation and mitigate the impact of the incident1.

SQLi stands for SQL injection, which is a type of attack that injects malicious SQL statements into a web application’s input fields or parameters. The attacker can use SQLi to execute unauthorized commands on the database server, such as adding a new user or retrieving sensitive data. The entry in the server logs shows an example of a SQLi attack that tries to add a new user named attacker with the password 1337password. CSRF, XSS, and RCE are other types of attacks, but they do not match the description of the entry in the server logs. Reference: https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/SQL_Injection

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.

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.

Trusted firmware updates are a method by which security packages are delivered to the company’s customers. Trusted firmware updates are digitally signed packages that contain software updates or patches for devices, such as routers, switches, or firewalls. Trusted firmware updates can help to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the packages by verifying the digital signature of the sender and preventing unauthorized or malicious modifications to the packages .

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 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.

Full disk encryption (FDE) is a technical control that encrypts all the data on a disk drive, including the operating system and applications. FDE prevents unauthorized access to the data if the disk drive is lost or stolen, as it requires a password or key to decrypt the data. FDE can be implemented using software or hardware solutions and can protect data at rest on laptops and other devices. The other options are not technical controls or do not reduce the risk of data loss if a laptop is lost or stolen. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 10; https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-overview

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.

/bin/ls -1 /proc/1301/exe is the command that will show the absolute path to the executed binary file associated with the process ID 1301, which is ./usr/sbin/sshd. This information can help the security analyst determine if the binary is an official version and has not been modified, which could be an indicator of a compromise. /proc/1301/exe is a special symbolic link that points to the executable file that was used to start the process 1301 .

This should be addressed to ensure potential vulnerabilities are identified because it indicates that the vulnerability scan was not able to access some resources or perform some actions that require higher privileges on the target system. This could result in missing or inaccurate findings, as some vulnerabilities may not be detected or verified.

Logical segmentation is a technique that divides a network into smaller, isolated segments based on logical criteria, such as function, role, or application. Logical segmentation can be implemented using various technologies, such as VLANs, subnets, virtual firewalls, or software-defined networking (SDN). Logical segmentation can enhance the security of a network by reducing the attack surface, limiting the lateral movement of threats, enforcing the principle of least privilege, and facilitating the monitoring and auditing of network traffic12.

Firewall is a device or software that filters and controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined rules or policies. Firewall can be deployed at the network perimeter or within the network to create internal zones or segments. Firewall can protect a network from unauthorized access, malicious attacks, or data exfiltration by allowing or blocking traffic based on the source, destination, port, protocol, or application3 .

To best provide the protection that meets the requirements of the security engineer, each product line should be logically segmented and firewalled to control inbound and outbound connectivity. This way, each product line can be secured using a single posture that is consistent and manageable. Each product line can also communicate with the other lines in a least privilege method by allowing only the necessary traffic and blocking the rest. Access to each product line from the rest of the network can be strictly controlled by applying firewall rules that restrict or limit the traffic based on the business needs.

A change management process is a set of procedures that ensures that any changes to a system or service are planned, tested, approved, implemented and documented in a controlled and consistent manner. A change management process can prevent an interruption of service caused by a Group Policy Object (GPO) by ensuring that the GPO is properly configured, tested and authorized before applying it to the servers. A change management process can also provide a way to roll back or undo the changes if they cause any problems.

A CI/CD pipeline is a method of delivering software applications that involves continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD). CI is the process of merging code changes from multiple developers into a shared repository and testing them automatically. CD is the process of deploying the code changes to different environments (such as testing, staging and production) and releasing them to customers. A CI/CD pipeline does not prevent an interruption of service caused by a GPO, but rather helps to deliver software applications faster and more reliably.

An impact analysis and reporting is a process of assessing the potential effects of a change on a system or service, such as performance, availability, security and compatibility. An impact analysis and reporting can help to identify and mitigate any risks or issues associated with a change. However, an impact analysis and reporting does not prevent an interruption of service caused by a GPO, but rather helps to evaluate and communicate the consequences of a change.

Appropriate network segmentation is a practice of dividing a network into smaller subnetworks or segments based on different criteria, such as function, location or security level. Appropriate network segmentation can improve the performance, security and manageability of a network by reducing congestion, isolating threats and controlling access. However, appropriate network segmentation does not prevent an interruption of service caused by a GPO, but rather helps to protect and optimize a network.

The security team should perform postmortem data correlation next after receiving notification of the incident from the help desk technician. Postmortem data correlation is an activity that involves analyzing data from various sources (such as logs, alerts, reports, etc.) to identify root causes, impacts, indicators of compromise (IoCs), lessons learned, and recommendations for improvement after an incident3. Postmortem data correlation can help the security team to:

• Determine how the incident occurred and how it was detected and resolved
• Assess the scope and severity of the incident and its effects on confidentiality, integrity, and availability
• Identify any gaps or weaknesses in security controls or processes that contributed to the incident
• Develop action plans or remediation strategies to prevent recurrence or mitigate future incidents

A memory dump is a snapshot of the contents of the random access memory (RAM) of a system at a given point in time. A memory dump can provide valuable information for a forensic examiner who is investigating possible malware compromise on an active endpoint device, such as running processes, open files, network connections, encryption keys, or malware artifacts. Creating a memory dump from RAM should be the first step that the examiner performs, as it preserves the volatile data that could be lost or altered if the system is powered off or rebooted1.

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

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a security technology designed to detect, prevent, and respond to the unauthorized disclosure of confidential data. By updating the DLP rules and metadata, it is possible to better define what types of confidential information can be shared and limit access to any sensitive documents.

DLP rules and metadata can help to identify, classify and label sensitive data based on its content and context. DLP rules and metadata can also help to enforce actions or policies on sensitive data, such as blocking, encrypting or alerting .

"CASB solutions generally offer their own DLP policy engine, allowing you to configure DLP policies in a CASB and apply them to cloud services." https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/enterprise/cloud-security/how-a-casb-int egrates-with-an-on-premises-dlp-solution/

CASB stands for Cloud Access Security Broker, which is a solution that monitors and controls the access and usage of cloud services by an organization’s users. DLP stands for Data Loss Prevention, which is a solution that prevents unauthorized disclosure or leakage of sensitive data. Utilizing the CASB to enforce DLP data-in-motion protection for financial information moving to the cloud is the best recommendation for a security analyst to mitigate the threat of financial data leakage into the cloud, because it would prevent users from uploading or transferring financial information to cloud services that are not authorized or secure. Utilizing the CASB to enforce DLP data-at-rest protection for financial information that is stored on premises, not utilizing the CASB solution for this purpose but adding DLP on premises for data in motion or data at rest are other possible recommendations, but they are not as effective or relevant as utilizing the CASB to enforce DLP data-in-motion protection for financial information moving to the cloud. Reference: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3200344/what-is-a-casb-and-why-do-you-need-one.html

A virtualized system is a system that runs on a software layer called a hypervisor that emulates the hardware resources of a physical machine. A virtualized system can have its own operating system, applications, and data that are isolated from other virtualized systems or the host machine3 A virtualized system can be a solution for a small organization that has proprietary software that is used internally but cannot be updated with the rest of the environment. By virtualizing the system and decommissioning the physical machine, the organization can achieve several benefits, such as:

• Reducing hardware costs and maintenance
• Improving performance and scalability
• Enhancing security and compliance
• Simplifying backup and recovery
• Enabling portability and compatibility

Web server enumeration is the process of identifying information about a web server, such as its software version, operating system, configuration, services, and vulnerabilities. This can be done using tools like Nmap, which can scan ports and run scripts to gather information. In this question, the Nmap command is using the -p option to scan ports 80, 8000, and 443, which are commonly used for web services. It is also using the --script option to run scripts that start with http-*, which are related to web server enumeration. The output file name server.out also suggests that the purpose of the scan is to enumerate web servers. References: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Certification Exam Objectives (CS0-002), page 8; https://partners.comptia.org/docs/default-source/resources/comptia-cysa-cs0-002-exam-objectives

A false positive is a condition in which harmless traffic is classified as a potential network attack by a NIDS. A NIDS is a network intrusion detection system that monitors network traffic for any signs of malicious or anomalous activity. A false positive can result in unnecessary alerts or actions by the NIDS, such as blocking legitimate traffic or generating false alarms. False positives can be caused by various factors, such as misconfigured rules, outdated signatures, noisy network traffic or benign anomalies3 .

A script is a program that can automate tasks or perform actions on a computer system. A script can be used to attempt multiple login attempts with different credentials, either randomly or from a list of known or guessed usernames and passwords. This can be done to gain unauthorized access to a system or to test its security12.

Users 4 and 5 are not using their credentials to transfer files or run tasks, because the report shows that they have failed login attempts on multiple servers. If they were authorized users, they would not have failed login attempts. Also, transferring files or running tasks does not require multiple login attempts on different servers.

A bot is a software application that runs automated tasks over the Internet. A bot can also be used to perform brute-force attacks, which are repeated attempts to guess a password or other authentication information. However, a bot would not use login credentials in a script, but rather generate random or common passwords to try3.

A CASB, or Cloud Access Security Broker, is a software tool or service that acts as an intermediary between an organization’s cloud services and its users. A CASB can provide various security functions, such as visibility, compliance, threat protection, and data security2 A CASB can help protect the company’s data stored in the cloud by preventing certain types of data from being downloaded to a workstation, such as sensitive or confidential information. This can reduce the risk of data leakage, theft, or loss if a workstation is compromised or stolen.

SaaS stands for Software as a Service, which is a cloud model that allows users to access software applications over the internet without installing or maintaining them on their own devices. SaaS will allow all data to be kept on the third-party network, because the software applications and the data they generate or process are stored on the cloud provider’s servers. VDI, CASB, and FaaS are other terms related to cloud computing or security, but they do not match the description of keeping all data on the third-party network. Reference: https://www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/software-as-a-service

Three common types of file carving methods are as follows: Header- and footer-based carving, which focuses on headers like those found in JPEG files. For example, JPEGs can be found by looking for \xFF\xD8 in the header and \xFF\xD9 in the footer. Content-based carving techniques look for information about the content of a file such as character counts and text recognition. File structure-based carving techniques that use information about the structure of files.

File carving is a technique for recovering files from raw data bytes by scanning and rebuilding them based on their file headers and footers. File headers and footers are sequences of bytes that indicate the beginning and end of a file format, such as JPEG, PDF, ZIP, etc. File carving can be used to reconstruct files that are deleted, corrupted, fragmented, or encrypted by bypassing the file system structure and looking for recognizable patterns in the data3 The analyst used file carving to reconstruct files from a hard disk by scanning the raw data bytes and rebuilding them based on their file headers and footers.

Deidentifying a data subject means removing or obscuring any data that can be used to identify, locate, or contact an individual, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, etc. Deidentifying a data subject throughout the organization’s applications can help comply with the new regulation that requires only retaining the minimum amount of data on a person to perform the organization’s necessary activities.

Credential vaulting is a solution that would best satisfy the organization’s goal of implementing a privileged access management solution. Credential vaulting is a technique that securely stores and manages the credentials of privileged accounts, such as emergency and service accounts. Credential vaulting 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. Credential vaulting can also help rotate or expire the passwords of privileged accounts to reduce the risk of compromise3.

Data enrichment is the result that the security team hopes to accomplish by adding these sources to the SIEM. Data enrichment is a process that enhances, refines, or otherwise improves raw data by adding context, meaning, or value to it. Data enrichment can help security analysts gain more insights from the events processed by the SIEM, such as identifying the root cause, severity, or impact of an incident3. Data enrichment can also help security analysts correlate events from different sources and reduce false positives or negatives.

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

To prevent adversaries from intercepting response and recovery details. Using a secure method of communication during incident response is important to prevent adversaries from intercepting response and recovery details that could reveal the incident response team’s actions, strategies, or findings. If the adversaries can intercept the communication, they could use it to evade detection, escalate their privileges, or launch further attacks. To ensure intellectual property remains on company servers, to have a backup plan in case email access is disabled, or to ensure the management team has access to all the details that are being exchanged are other possible reasons to use a secure method of communication, but they are not as important as preventing adversaries from intercepting response and recovery details. Reference: https://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/incident/incident-handlers-handbook-33901

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

Option D would provide the analyst with additional useful information relevant to the above script. Option D is a command that compares two files and shows the differences between them. In this case, the command compares the current snapshot of the system configuration (sysconfig.txt) with the previous snapshot (sysconfig.txt.old). This can help the analyst to identify any changes or anomalies in the system configuration that may indicate unauthorized or malicious activity. Option A is a command that copies a file from one location to another. In this case, the command copies the current snapshot of the system configuration (sysconfig.txt) to a backup location (/backup/sysconfig.txt). This can help the analyst to preserve evidence or restore the system configuration if needed, but it does not provide any additional information relevant to the above script. Option B is a command that prints a file to standard output. In this case, the command prints the current snapshot of the system configuration (sysconfig.txt) to the screen. This can help the analyst to review or analyze the system configuration, but it does not provide any additional information relevant to the above script. Option C is a command that moves a file from one location to another. In this case, the command moves the current snapshot of the system configuration (sysconfig.txt) to another location (/old/sysconfig.txt). This can help the analyst to organize or archive the system configuration files, but it does not provide any additional information relevant to the above script.

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.

The security analyst should implement port security with one MAC address per network port of the switch. This will help prevent possible physical attacks on the network access layer, such as MAC flooding or MAC spoofing. Port security is a feature that allows a switch to limit the number of MAC addresses that can be learned on a specific port. By setting the limit to one MAC address per port, the switch will only allow traffic from the device that is connected to that port, and drop any traffic from other devices that try to use that port. This will prevent attackers from connecting unauthorized devices to the network or impersonating legitimate devices by changing their MAC addresses3.

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

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.