GSEC Authentication and Access Control Quiz

1. What does SSO (Single Sign-On) enable in an organization?

Users log in once and access multiple systems without re-authenticating

Eliminates all password requirements

Requires separate credentials for each application

Increases the number of login attempts allowed

2. Which framework provides a flexible approach to access control using attributes?

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Mandatory Access Control (MAC)

Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)

Discretionary Access Control (DAC)

3. What is the primary benefit of implementing password policies with expiration dates?

Reduces user frustration

Limits exposure if credentials are compromised

Eliminates phishing attacks

Increases system performance

4. Which authentication vulnerability occurs when user sessions are stolen or hijacked?

Brute force attack

Session fixation

Dictionary attack

Shoulder surfing

5. What does SAML primarily facilitate in enterprise security?

Encryption of sensitive data

Exchange of authentication and authorization information between systems

Network intrusion detection

Database backup and recovery

6. Which of the following best describes privilege escalation?

Granting users higher permissions legitimately

Gaining elevated access through exploitation or misconfiguration

Automatically increasing user permissions over time

Monitoring user activity logs

7. What is a primary advantage of certificate-based authentication?

It eliminates the need for passwords

It provides strong cryptographic verification and scalability

It reduces server processing requirements

It simplifies user enrollment

8. Which authentication method relies on something you know?

Retinal scan

Hardware token

Password

Facial recognition

9. What is the purpose of access control lists (ACLs)?

To encrypt data in transit

To define which users or groups can access resources

To monitor network traffic

To compress files for storage

10. Which principle states that users should have only the minimum permissions needed?

Defense in depth

Least privilege

Zero trust

Separation of duties

11. What is the primary purpose of multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Reduce password complexity requirements

Require multiple forms of identity verification to prevent unauthorized access

Eliminate the need for passwords

Increase network bandwidth usage

12. Which factor is NOT part of something-you-have authentication?

Security token

Smart card

Fingerprint

USB key

13. What is a primary security risk associated with default credentials?

They are too complex to remember

They are widely known and easily exploited

They require MFA activation

They cannot be changed by administrators

14. Which access control model enforces security labels and clearance levels?

Role-Based Access Control

Discretionary Access Control

Mandatory Access Control

Attribute-Based Access Control

15. What is LDAP primarily used for in enterprise environments?

Data encryption

Directory services and centralized authentication

Firewall management

Antivirus distribution

16. Which of the following is a biometric authentication method?

Security questions

Fingerprint scanning

PIN codes

Password phrases

17. What is the main difference between authentication and authorization?

Authentication verifies identity; authorization determines access rights

They are identical concepts

Authorization comes before authentication

Authentication grants access; authorization denies it

18. Which protocol is commonly used for secure remote authentication over networks?

HTTP

Kerberos

SMTP

DNS

19. What does OAuth 2.0 primarily provide in authentication scenarios?

Password encryption

Delegated authorization and token-based access

Biometric verification

Network encryption

20. Which access control model assigns permissions based on user roles rather than individual identities?