312-85 Practice Exam Questions with Answers Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (CTIA) Certification

The correct sequence for scheduling a threat intelligence program involves starting with the foundational steps of defining the project scope and objectives, followed by detailed planning and scheduling of tasks. The sequence starts with reviewing the project charter (1) to understand the project's scope, objectives, and constraints. Next, building a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) (9) helps in organizing the team's work into manageable sections. Identifying all deliverables (2) clarifies the project's outcomes. Defining all activities (8) involves listing the tasks required to produce the deliverables. Identifying the sequence of activities (3) and estimating resources (7) and task dependencies (4) sets the groundwork for scheduling. Estimating the duration of each activity (6) is critical before developing the final schedule (5), which combines all these elements into a comprehensive plan. This approach ensures a structured and methodical progression from project initiation to execution.References:

• "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)," Project Management Institute
• "Cyber Intelligence-Driven Risk," by Intel471

Internal intelligence feeds are derived from data and information collected within an organization's own networks and systems. Jian's activities, such as real-time assessment of system activities and acquiring feeds from honeynets, P2P monitoring, infrastructure, and application logs, fall under the collection of internal intelligence feeds. These feeds are crucial for identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities within the organization and form a fundamental part of a comprehensive threat intelligence program. They contrast with external intelligence feeds, which are sourced from outside the organization and include information on broader cyber threats, trends, and TTPs of threat actors.References:

• "Building an Intelligence-Led Security Program" by Allan Liska
• "Threat Intelligence: Collecting, Analysing, Evaluating" by M-K. Lee, L. Healey, and P. A. Porras

When prioritizing intelligence requirements, it is crucial to understand the frequency and impact of various threats. This approach helps in allocating resources effectively, focusing on threats that are both likely to occur and that would have significant consequences if they did. By assessing threats based on these criteria, Henry can ensure that the threat intelligence program addresses the most pressing and potentially damaging threats first, thereby enhancing the organization's security posture. This prioritization is essential for effective threat management and for ensuring that the most critical threats are addressed promptly.References:

• "Cyber Threat Intelligence: Prioritizing and Using CTI Effectively," by SANS Institute
• "Threat Intelligence: What It Is, and How to Use It Effectively," by Gartner

In the Analysis of Competing Hypotheses (ACH) process, the stage where Mr. Bob is applying analysis to reject hypotheses and select the most likely one based on listed evidence, followed by preparing a matrix with screened hypotheses and evidence, is known as the 'Refinement' stage. This stage involves refining the list of hypotheses by systematically evaluating the evidence against each hypothesis, leading to the rejection of inconsistent hypotheses and the strengthening of the most plausible ones. The preparation of a matrix helps visualize the relationship between each hypothesis and the available evidence, facilitating a more objective and structured analysis.References:

• "Psychology of Intelligence Analysis" by Richards J. Heuer, Jr., for the CIA's Center for the Study of Intelligence
• "A Tradecraft Primer: Structured Analytic Techniques for Improving Intelligence Analysis" by the CIA

True attribution in the context of cyber threats involves identifying the actual individual, group, or nation-state behind an attack or intrusion. This type of attribution goes beyond associating an attack with certain tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) or a known group and aims to pinpoint the real-world entity responsible. True attribution ischallenging due to the anonymity of the internet and the use of obfuscation techniques by attackers, but it is crucial for understanding the motive behind an attack and for forming appropriate responses at diplomatic, law enforcement, or cybersecurity levels.References:

• "Attribution of Cyber Attacks: A Framework for an Evidence-Based Analysis" by Jason Healey
• "The Challenges of Attribution in Cyberspace" in the Journal of Cyber Policy

The attack described, where multiple connection requests from different geo-locations are received by a server within a short time span leading to stress and reduced performance, is indicative of a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack. In a DDoS attack, the attacker floods the target's resources (such as a server) with excessive requests from multiple sources, making it difficult for the server to handle legitimate traffic, leading to degradation or outright unavailability of service. The use of multiple geo-locations for the attack sources is a common characteristic of DDoS attacks, making them harder to mitigate.References:

• "Understanding Denial-of-Service Attacks," US-CERT
• "DDoS Quick Guide," DHS/NCCIC

Sam's mistake was using threat intelligence from sources that he did not verify for reliability. Relying on intelligence from unverified or unreliable sources can lead to the incorporation of inaccurate, outdated, or irrelevant information into the organization's threat intelligence program. This can result in "noise," which refers to irrelevant or false information that can distract from real threats, and potentially put the organization's network at risk. Verifying the credibility and reliability of intelligence sources is crucial to ensure that the data used for making security decisions is accurate and actionable.References:

• "Best Practices for Threat Intelligence Sharing," by FIRST (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams)
• "Evaluating Cyber Threat Intelligence Sources," by Jon DiMaggio, SANS Institute InfoSec Reading Room

A gateway in a network functions as a node that routes traffic between different networks, such as from a local network to the internet. In the context of cyber threats, a gateway can be utilized to monitor and control the data flow to and from the network, helping in the identification and analysis of malware communications, including traffic to external command and control (C2) servers. This makes it an essential component in detecting installed malware within a network by observing anomalies or unauthorized communications at the network's boundary. Unlike repeaters, hubs, or network interface cards (NICs) that primarily facilitate network connectivity without analyzing the traffic, gateways can enforce security policies and detect suspicious activities.References:

• "Network Security Basics," Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals
• "Malware Command and Control Channels: A Journey," SANS Institute InfoSec Reading Room

The network administrator collected log files generated by a traffic monitoring system, which falls under the category of low-level data. This type of data might not appear useful at first glance but can reveal significant insights about network activity and potential threats upon thorough analysis. Low-level data includes raw logs, packet captures, and other granular details that, when analyzed properly, can help detect anomalous behaviors or indicators of compromise within the network. This type of information is essential for detection and response efforts, allowing security teams to identify and mitigate threats in real-time.References:

• "Network Forensics: Tracking Hackers through Cyberspace," by Sherri Davidoff and Jonathan Ham, Prentice Hall
• "Real-Time Detection of Anomalous Activity in Dynamic, Heterogeneous Information Systems," IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security

In the cyber kill chain methodology, the phase where Jame is creating a tailored malicious deliverable that includes an exploit and a backdoor is known as 'Weaponization'. During this phase, the attacker prepares by coupling a payload, such as a virus or worm, with an exploit into a deliverable format, intending to compromise the target's system. This step follows the initial 'Reconnaissance' phase, where the attacker gathers information on the target, and precedes the 'Delivery' phase, where the weaponized bundle is transmitted to the target. Weaponization involves the preparation of the malware to exploit the identified vulnerabilities in the target system.References:

• Lockheed Martin's Cyber Kill Chain framework
• "Intelligence-Driven Computer Network Defense Informed by Analysis of Adversary Campaigns and Intrusion Kill Chains," leading to the development of the Cyber Kill Chain framework