212-82 Practice Exam Questions with Answers Certified Cybersecurity Technician (C|CT) Certification

Availability is the information security element that ensures that Stella’s transaction status is immediately reflected in her bank account in this scenario. Information security is the practice of protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction. Information security can be based on three fundamental principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Confidentiality is the principle that ensures that information is accessible only to authorized parties and not disclosed to unauthorized parties. Integrity is the principle that ensures that information is accurate, complete, and consistent and not altered or corrupted by unauthorized parties. Availability is the principle that ensures that information and information systems are accessible and usable by authorized parties when needed. In the scenario, Stella purchased a smartwatch online using her debit card. After making payment for the product through the payment gateway, she received a transaction text message with a deducted and available balance from her bank. This means that her transaction status was immediately reflected in her bank account, which indicates that availability was ensured by her bank’s information system. 

Traceroute is the network troubleshooting utility employed by Steve in the above scenario. Traceroute is a utility that traces the route of packets from a source host to a destination host over a network. Traceroute sends ICMP echo request packets with increasing TTL (Time to Live) values and records the ICMP echo reply packets from each intermediate router or gateway along the path. Traceroute can help identify the network hops, latency, and packet loss between the source and destination hosts . Dnsenum is a utility that enumerates DNS information from a domain name or an IP address. Arp is a utility that displays and modifies the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) cache of a host. Ipconfig is a utility that displays and configures the IP (Internet Protocol) settings of a host.

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the type of short-range wireless communication technology that the billing executive has used in the above scenario. RFID uses radio-frequency electromagnetic waves to transfer data for automatic identification and for tracking tags attached to objects . RFID tags are machine-readable tags that store information about the products, such as name, price, expiry date, etc. RFID readers are readable machines that scan the RFID tags and display the product details on the computer . RFID technology is widely used in supermarkets, warehouses, libraries, and other places where inventory management and tracking are required . 

Managing and maintaining is the phase of firewall implementation and deployment in which Elliott monitored the firewall logs in the above scenario. A firewall is a system or device that controls and filters the incoming and outgoing traffic between different networks or systems based on predefined rules or policies. A firewall can be used to protect a network or system from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction . Firewall implementation and deployment is a process that involves planning, installing, configuring, testing, managing, and maintaining firewalls in a network or system . Managing and maintaining is the phase of firewall implementation and deployment that involves monitoring and reviewing the performance and effectiveness of firewalls over time . Managing and maintaining can include tasks such as updating firewall rules or policies, analyzing firewall logs , detecting evolving threats or attacks , ensuring firewall security , addressing network issues , etc. In the scenario, Elliott was tasked with implementing and deploying firewalls in the corporate network of an organization. After planning and deploying firewalls in the network, Elliott monitored the firewall logs to detect evolving threats and attacks; this helped in ensuring firewall security and addressing network issues beforehand. This means that he performed managing and maintaining phase for this purpose. Deploying is the phase of firewall implementation and deployment that involves installing and activating firewalls in the network or system according to the plan. Testing is the phase of firewall implementation and deployment that involves verifying and validating the functionality and security of firewalls before putting them into operation. Configuring is the phase of firewall implementation and deployment that involves setting up and customizing firewalls according to the requirements and specifications.

Destination unreachable message is the network issue that Jordan found in this scenario. Destination unreachable message is a type of ICMP message that indicates that the datagram could not be forwarded owing to the unavailability of IP-related services (such as FTP or web services) on the target host. Destination unreachable message can be caused by various reasons, such as incorrect routing, firewall blocking, or host configuration problems1.

References: Destination Unreachable Message

Containerization is the technique that Stephen has implemented in the above scenario. Containerization is a technique that isolates personal and corporate data on an employee’s mobile device. Containerization creates separate encrypted containers or partitions on the device, where corporate applications and data are stored and managed. Containerization prevents corporate data leakage on employees’ mobile devices by restricting access, sharing, copying, or transferring of data between containers. Containerization also allows remote wiping of corporate data in case of device loss or theft . Full device encryption is a technique that encrypts all the data on a mobile device using a password or a key. Geofencing is a technique that uses GPS or RFID to define geographical boundaries and trigger actions based on the location of a mobile device. OTA (Over-the-Air) updates are updates that are delivered wirelessly to mobile devices without requiring physical connection to a computer.

Permissive policy is the type of Internet access policy implemented by George in this scenario. An Internet access policy is a policy that defines the rules and guidelines for accessing the Internet from a system or network. An Internet access policy can be based on various factors, such as security, productivity, bandwidth, etc. An Internet access policy can have different types based on its level of restriction or control. A permissive policy is a type of Internet access policy that allows users to access any site, download any application, and access any computer or network without any restrictions. A permissive policy can be used to provide maximum flexibility and freedom to users, but it can also pose significant security risks and challenges. In the scenario, George implemented an Internet access policy that allowed employees working from a remote location to access any site, download any application, and access any computer or network without any restrictions. This means that he implemented a permissive policy for those employees. A paranoid policy is a type of Internet access policy that blocks or denies all Internet access by default and only allows specific sites, applications, or computers that are explicitly authorized. A prudent policy is a type of Internet access policy that allows most Internet access but blocks or restricts some sites, applications, or computers that are deemed inappropriate, malicious, or unnecessary. A promiscuous policy is not a type of Internet access policy, but a term that describes a network mode that allows a network interface card (NIC) to capture all packets on a network segment, regardless of their destination address. 

Containment is the IH&R step performed by Warren in the above scenario. IH&R (Incident Handling and Response) is a process that involves identifying, analyzing, containing, eradicating, recovering from, and reporting on security incidents that affect an organization’s network or system. Containment is the IH&R step that involves implementing appropriate measures to stop the infection from spreading to other organizational assets and to prevent further damage to the organization . Containment can be done by isolating the affected system or network, blocking malicious traffic or communication, disabling or removing malicious accounts or processes, etc. Recovery is the IH&R step that involves restoring the normal operation of the system or network after eradicating the incident. Eradication is the IH&R step that involves removing all traces of the incident from the system or network, such as malware, backdoors, compromised files, etc. Incident triage is the IH&R step that involves prioritizing incidents based on their severity, impact, and urgency. 

Risk avoidance is the risk treatment option suggested by the risk management team in this scenario. Risk avoidance is a risk treatment option that involves eliminating the identified risk by changing the scope, requirements, or objectives of the project or activity. Risk avoidance can be used when the risk cannot be prevented using security controls or when the risk outweighs the benefits2. References: Risk Avoidance

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is the wireless technology that the software company has implemented in the above scenario. RFID uses radio-frequency electromagnetic waves to transfer data for automatic identification and for tracking tags attached to objects1112. WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a wireless technology that provides high-speed broadband access over long distances13. Bluetooth is a wireless technology that enables short-range data communication between devices, such as phones, laptops, printers, etc.14. Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is a wireless technology that allows devices to connect to a local area network or the internet using radio waves

 Yes is the answer to whether the file has been modified or not in the above scenario. A hash is a fixed-length string that is generated by applying a mathematical function, called a hash function, to a piece of data, such as a file or a message. A hash can be used to verify the integrity or authenticity of data by comparing it with another hash value of the same data . A hash value is unique and any change in the data will result in a different hash value . To compare the hash value of the original file with the leaked file and state whether the file has been modified or not, one has to follow these steps:

• Navigate to Hash folder in Documents of Attacker-1 machine.
• Open OriginalFileHash.txt file with a text editor.
• Note down the MD5 hash value of the original file as 8f14e45fceea167a5a36dedd4bea2543
• Open Command Prompt and change directory to Hash folder using cd command.
• Type certutil -hashfile Sensitiveinfo.txt MD5 and press Enter key to generate MD5 hash value of leaked file.
• Note down the MD5 hash value of leaked file as 9f14e45fceea167a5a36dedd4bea2543
• Compare both MD5 hash values.

The MD5 hash values are different , which means that the file has been modified.

/var/log/wtmp is the Linux log file accessed by Gideon in this scenario. /var/log/wtmp is a log file that records information related to user login/logout, such as username, terminal, IP address, and login time. /var/log/wtmp can be used to determine the current login state of users in a Linux system. /var/log/wtmp can be viewed using commands such as last, lastb, or utmpdump1.

References: Linux Log Files

Explanation of Correct Answer: Infrared is a wireless technology that can digitally transfer data between two devices within a short range of up to 5 m and only works in the absence of physical blockage or obstacle between the two devices. Infrared is commonly used for remote controls, wireless keyboards, and medical devices.

References: Infrared Technology

Quid pro quo is the social engineering technique that Johnson employed in the above scenario. Social engineering is a technique that involves manipulating or deceiving people into performing actions or revealing information that can be used for malicious purposes. Social engineering can be performed through various methods, such as phone calls, emails, websites, etc. Quid pro quo is a social engineering method that involves offering a service or a benefit in exchange for information or access. Quid pro quo can be used to trick victims into believing that they are receiving help or assistance from a legitimate source, while in fact they are compromising their security or privacy . In the scenario, Johnson performed quid pro quo by claiming himself to represent a technical support team from a vendor and offering to help sibertech.org with a server issue, while in fact he prompted the victim to execute unusual commands and install malicious files, which were then used to collect and pass critical information to Johnson’s machine. Diversion theft is a social engineering method that involves diverting the delivery or shipment of goods or assets to a different location or destination. Elicitation is a social engineering method that involves extracting information from a target by engaging them in a conversation or an interaction. Phishing is a social engineering method that involves sending fraudulent emails or messages that appear to come from a trusted source, such as a bank, a company, or a person, and asking the recipient to click on a link, open an attachment, or provide personal or financial information.

Quantum cryptography is the encryption mechanism demonstrated in the above scenario. Quantum cryptography is a branch of cryptography that uses quantum physics to secure data transmission and communication. Quantum cryptography encrypts data by using a sequence of photons that have a spinning trait, called polarization, while traveling from one end to another. These photons keep changing their shapes, called states, during their course through filters: vertical, horizontal, forward slash, and backslash. Quantum cryptography ensures that any attempt to intercept or tamper with the data will alter the quantum states of the photons and be detected by the sender and receiver . Homomorphic encryption is a type of encryption that allows computations to be performed on encrypted data without decrypting it first. Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) encryption is a type of asymmetric encryption that uses two keys, public and private, to encrypt and decrypt data. Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is a type of asymmetric encryption that uses mathematical curves to generate keys and perform encryption and decryption.

TCP Timestamps is the vulnerability with a severity score of 8.0. This can be verified by performing a vulnerability assessment of the web server located at IP address 20.20.10.26 using the OpenVAS vulnerability scanner, available with the Parrot Security machine, with credentials admin/password. To perform the vulnerability assessment, one can follow these steps:

Launch the Parrot Security machine and open a terminal.

Enter the command sudo openvas-start to start the OpenVAS service and wait for a few minutes until it is ready.

Open a web browser and navigate to https://127.0.0.1:9392 to access the OpenVAS web interface.

Enter the credentials admin/password to log in to OpenVAS.

Click on Scans -> Tasks from the left menu and then click on the blue icon with a star to create a new task.

Enter a name and a comment for the task, such as “Web Server Scan”.

Select “Full and fast” as the scan config from the drop-down menu.

Click on the icon with a star next to Target to create a new target.

Enter a name and a comment for the target, such as “Web Server”.

Enter 20.20.10.26 as the host in the text box and click on Save.

Select “Web Server” as the target from the drop-down menu and click on Save.

Click on the green icon with a play button next to the task name to start the scan and wait for it to finish.

Click on the task name to view the scan report and click on Results from the left menu to see the list of vulnerabilities found.

Sort the list by Severity in descending order and look for the vulnerability with a severity score of 8.0. The screenshot below shows an example of performing these steps: The vulnerability with a severity score of 8.0 is TCP Timestamps, which is an option in TCP packets that can be used to measure round-trip time and improve performance, but it can also reveal information about the system’s uptime, clock skew, or TCP sequence numbers, which can be used by attackers to launch various attacks, such as idle scanning, OS fingerprinting, or TCP hijacking1. The vulnerability report provides more details about this vulnerability, such as its description, impact, solution, references, and CVSS score2. References: Screenshot of OpenVAS showing TCP Timestamps vulnerability, TCP Timestamps Vulnerability, Vulnerability Report

Technical threat intelligence is a type of threat intelligence that provides information about the technical details of specific attacks, such as indicators of compromise (IOCs), malware signatures, attack vectors, and vulnerabilities. Technical threat intelligence helps the NOC team understand how attackers are expected to perform an attack on the organization, identify the information leakage, and determine the attack goals as well as attack vectors. Technical threat intelligence is often consumed by security analysts, incident responders, and penetration testers who need to analyze and respond to active or potential threats. 

 Security event log is the type of event log analyzed by Tenda in the above scenario. Windows Event Viewer is a tool that displays logged data about various events that occur on a Windows system or network. Windows Event Viewer categorizes event logs into different types based on their source and purpose. Security event log is the type of event log that records events related to Windows security; specifically, log-on/log-off activities, resource access, and also information based on Windows system’s audit policies . Security event log can help identify attempted or successful unauthorized activities on a Windows system or network. Application event log is the type of event log that records events related to applications running on a Windows system, such as errors, warnings, or information messages. Setup event log is the type of event log that records events related to the installation or removal of software or hardware components on a Windows system. System event log is the type of event log that records events related to the operation of a Windows system or its components, such as drivers, services, processes, etc.

Prevention is the business continuity and disaster recovery activity performed by Jase in this scenario. Prevention is an activity that involves implementing a deterrent control strategy to minimize the occurrence of threats, protect critical business areas, and mitigate the impact of threats. Prevention can include measures such as backup systems, firewalls, antivirus software, or physical security1. References: Prevention Activity in BCDR

Non-routing dual-homed hosts are the type of bastion hosts configured by Elliott in the above scenario. A bastion host is a system or device that is exposed to the public internet and acts as a gateway or a proxy for other systems or networks behind it. A bastion host can be used to provide an additional layer of security and protection for internal systems or networks from external threats and attacks . A bastion host can have different types based on its configuration or functionality. A non-routing dual-homed host is a type of bastion host that has two network interfaces: one connected to the public internet and one connected to the internal network. A non-routing dual-homed host does not allow any direct communication between the two networks and only allows specific services or applications to pass through it . A non-routing dual-homed host can be used to isolate and secure internal systems or networks from external access . In the scenario, Elliott was appointed to test a newly developed application deployed over an organizational network using a bastion host. Elliott initiated the process by configuring the non-reusable bastion host. He then tested the newly developed application to identify the presence of security flaws that were not yet known; further, he executed services that were not secure. This means that he configured a non-routing dual-homed host for this purpose. An external services host is a type of bastion host that provides external services, such as web, email, FTP, etc., to the public internet while protecting internal systems or networks from direct access . A victim machine is not a type of bastion host, but a term that describes a system or device that has been compromised or infected by an attacker or malware . A one-box firewall is not a type of bastion host, but a term that describes a firewall that performs both packet filtering and application proxy functions in one device . 

Group-based account is the type of account created by Giovanni in this scenario. An account is a set of credentials, such as a username and a password, that allows a user to access a system or network. An account can have different types based on its purpose or usage. A group-based account is a type of account that allows multiple users to access a system or network with the same credentials and permissions. A group-based account can be used to simplify the management of users and resources by assigning them to groups based on their roles or functions. In the scenario, Giovanni was tasked with configuring permissions for employees working on a new project. His organization used active directories (ADs) to grant/deny permissions to resources. Giovanni created a folder for AD users with the required permissions and added all employees working on the new project in it. This means that he created a group-based account for those employees. A third-party account is a type of account that allows an external entity or service to access a system or network with limited permissions or scope. A shared account is a type of account that allows multiple users to access a system or network with the same credentials but different permissions. An application account is a type of account that allows an application or software to access a system or network with specific permissions or functions.

5.9.188.148 is the IP address linked with http://securityabc.s21sec.com in the above scenario. A threat intelligence feed is a source of data that provides information about current or potential threats and attacks that can affect an organization’s network or system. A threat intelligence feed can include indicators of compromise (IoCs), such as IP addresses, domain names, URLs, hashes, etc., that can be used to detect or prevent malicious activities. To analyze the threat intelligence feed data file and determine the IP address linked with http://securityabc.s21sec.com, one has to follow these steps:

• Navigate to the Documents folder of Attacker-1 machine.
• Open Threatfeed.txt file with a text editor.
• Search for http://securityabc.s21sec.com in the file.
• Observe the IP address associated with the URL.

The IP address associated with the URL is 5.9.188.148, which is the IP address linked with http://securityabc.s21sec.com. 

Obfuscating is the technique used by Kevin to evade the IDS system in the above scenario. Obfuscating is a technique that involves encoding or modifying packets or data with various methods or characters to make them unreadable or unrecognizable by an IDS (Intrusion Detection System). Obfuscating can be used to bypass or evade an IDS system that relies on signatures or patterns to detect malicious activities. Obfuscating can include encoding packets with Unicode characters, which are characters that can represent various languages and symbols. The IDS system cannot recognize the packet, but the target web server can decode them and execute them normally. Desynchronization is a technique that involves creating discrepancies or inconsistencies between the state of a connection as seen by an IDS system and the state of a connection as seen by the end hosts. Desynchronization can be used to bypass or evade an IDS system that relies on stateful inspection to track and analyze connections. Desynchronization can include sending packets with invalid sequence numbers, which are numbers that indicate the order of packets in a connection. Session splicing is a technique that involves splitting or dividing packets or data into smaller fragments or segments to make them harder to detect by an IDS system. Session splicing can be used to bypass or evade an IDS system that relies on packet size or content to detect malicious activities. Session splicing can include sending packets with small MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) values, which are values that indicate the maximum size of packets that can be transmitted over a network. An urgency flag is a flag in the TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) header that indicates that the data in the packet is urgent and should be processed immediately by the receiver. An urgency flag is not a technique to evade an IDS system, but it can be used to trigger an IDS system to generate an alert or a response.

Eradication is the IH&R step performed by Fernando in this scenario. Eradication is a step in IH&R that involves eliminating the root cause of the incident and closing all attack vectors to prevent similar incidents in future. Eradication can include applying patches, installing security mechanisms, removing malware, restoring backups, or reformatting systems.

References: [Eradication Step in IH&R]

 Turn the device ON if it is OFF, do not leave the device as it is if it is ON, and make sure that the device is charged are some of the points that Shawn must follow while preserving the digital evidence in the above scenario. Digital evidence is any information or data stored or transmitted in digital form that can be used in a legal proceeding or investigation. Digital evidence can be found on various devices, such as computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc. Preserving digital evidence is a crucial step in forensic investigation that involves protecting and maintaining the integrity and authenticity of digital evidence from any alteration or damage. Some of the points that Shawn must follow while preserving digital evidence are:

• Turn the device ON if it is OFF: If the device is OFF, Shawn must turn it ON to prevent any data loss or encryption that may occur when the device is powered off. Shawn must also document any password or PIN required to unlock or access the device.
• Do not leave the device as it is if it is ON: If the device is ON, Shawn must not leave it as it is or use it for any purpose other than preserving digital evidence. Shawn must also disable any network connections or communication features on the device, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular data, etc., to prevent any remote access or deletion of data by unauthorized parties.
• Make sure that the device is charged: Shawn must ensure that the device has enough battery power to prevent any data loss or corruption that may occur due to sudden shutdown or low battery. Shawn must also use a write blocker or a Faraday bag to isolate the device from any external interference or signals.

Never record the screen display of the device is not a point that Shawn must follow while preserving digital evidence. On contrary, Shawn should record or photograph the screen display of the device to capture any relevant information or messages that may appear on the screen. Recording or photographing the screen display of the device can also help document any changes or actions performed on the device during preservation.