SEC Technologies and Tools - Cyber Security Quiz

Load balancing is the correct answer because it helps distribute client requests across multiple servers, ensuring that no single server becomes overwhelmed with traffic. By evenly distributing the workload, load balancing helps maintain the availability and performance of the website, even during peak times when there is a large influx of client requests. This helps prevent any single server from becoming a bottleneck and ensures that the website remains accessible to all users.

Enabling NTP (Network Time Protocol) on servers within the DMZ is most likely supporting the action of providing time synchronization. NTP is a protocol used for synchronizing the clocks of computer systems over a network. By enabling NTP on the servers, Lisa ensures that all the servers within the DMZ have accurate and synchronized time, which is important for various network operations, logging, authentication, and other time-sensitive processes. This action helps in maintaining consistency and coordination among the servers within the DMZ.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is the best choice to meet the need of allowing users to access internal network resources from remote locations. A VPN creates a secure and encrypted connection over a public network, such as the internet, allowing users to access resources as if they were directly connected to the internal network. This ensures the privacy and security of the data being transmitted between the user and the internal network, making it the ideal solution for remote access.

Enabling NTP (Network Time Protocol) on servers within the DMZ is most likely done to provide time synchronization. NTP is a protocol used to synchronize the clocks of computers on a network, ensuring that they all have the same time. This is important for various reasons, such as accurate logging, coordination of events, and maintaining consistency in distributed systems. It is not directly related to supporting voice and video transmissions, enabling email usage, or encrypting data-in-transit.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is the best choice to meet the need of allowing users to access internal network resources from remote locations. A VPN creates a secure and encrypted connection between the user's device and the internal network, ensuring that data is protected from unauthorized access while being transmitted over the internet. This allows users to securely access internal resources, such as files, applications, and servers, as if they were directly connected to the internal network. NAC (Network Access Control), IDS (Intrusion Detection System), and IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) are not specifically designed to provide remote access to network resources.

SSH (Secure Shell) is a network protocol that provides a secure way to access and transfer data over an unsecured network. It uses encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of data during transmission. Therefore, SSH would be the best protocol to meet the organization's security policy requirement of encrypting PII data-in-transit. FTP, SMTP, and HTTP do not provide the same level of encryption and security as SSH.

Iptables is a powerful firewall tool in Linux that allows you to inspect and handle network-based traffic. It can filter and manipulate packets based on various criteria such as source/destination IP addresses, ports, protocols, etc. Therefore, using iptables on a Linux computer can replace a dedicated firewall device, making option (B) the correct answer.

The application servers in this scenario are responsible for distributing the processing load among multiple servers to ensure efficient and effective handling of the heavy processing requirements. Load balancing involves evenly distributing the incoming requests across multiple servers, thereby optimizing performance and preventing any single server from becoming overwhelmed. This approach helps to improve scalability, availability, and responsiveness of the e-commerce web site.

Tcpdump is the best tool to capture TCP packets being sent to a server for later analysis. Tcpdump is a command-line packet analyzer that allows you to capture and display network packets. It can capture packets in real-time and save them to a file for later analysis. By using Tcpdump, you can monitor the network traffic and analyze the packets to identify any suspicious activity or potential attacks.

The correct answer is (B) Zero-day. A zero-day attack refers to a cyber attack that exploits a vulnerability in a software or system that is unknown to the software developers or security experts. In this scenario, the organization suffered a loss from malware that was not previously known by any trusted sources, indicating that the attack took advantage of a vulnerability that was not yet discovered or patched. This type of attack can be particularly dangerous as there are no known defenses or countermeasures available to protect against it.

Banner grabbing is the most likely tool or method to identify the operating system of a remote host. Banner grabbing involves capturing and analyzing the banners or headers that are sent by the server in response to a connection request. These banners often contain information about the server's operating system, version, and other details. By analyzing the banners, a penetration tester can determine the operating system of the remote host. Vulnerability scans, password crackers, and protocol analyzers are not specifically designed to identify the operating system of a remote host.

A UTM (Unified Threat Management) solution is the best choice for combining security controls for incoming and outgoing network traffic. UTM integrates multiple security features such as malware inspection, content inspection, and DDOS mitigation into a single platform, making it efficient and effective in protecting the network. VLAN (A) is a network segmentation technique and does not provide the required security controls. NAT (B) is a network address translation technique and does not offer the necessary security features. DNSSEC (D) is a security extension for DNS but does not encompass all the required controls. Therefore, UTM is the most suitable option for this scenario.

The most likely configuration that is incorrect in this scenario is the ACL (Access Control List). An ACL is a set of rules that determines what traffic is allowed or denied on a network. Since the service works when accessed from internal systems but not from the internet, it suggests that the ACL is blocking incoming internet traffic to the service on ServerA.

NIPS (Network Intrusion Prevention System) and HIPS (Host Intrusion Prevention System) provide the best automated protection for the servers in this scenario. NIPS monitors network traffic for any suspicious activity and can actively block or prevent any potential attacks. HIPS, on the other hand, is installed on individual servers and monitors for any unauthorized access or malicious activity on the host level. Together, NIPS and HIPS provide comprehensive protection for both the network and the individual servers, ensuring the security of the e-commerce business.

SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) provides the best solution for aggregating and correlating logs from multiple servers. SIEM systems collect and analyze data from various sources, including logs, to identify and respond to security incidents. By centralizing logs and providing real-time analysis, SIEM enables administrators to detect and investigate security threats more effectively. Network mappers and scanners, such as Nmap, are used for network discovery and vulnerability scanning, but they do not offer the same level of log aggregation and correlation capabilities as SIEM. Therefore, SIEM is the most suitable solution for the given problem.

The given entries "permit IP any any eq 80" and "permit IP any any eq 443" indicate that the device is allowing incoming traffic on ports 80 and 443, which are commonly used for HTTP and HTTPS protocols respectively. The entry "deny IP any any" suggests that the device is blocking all other types of IP traffic. This behavior aligns with the functionality of a firewall, which is designed to monitor and control network traffic based on predefined rules. Therefore, the correct answer is (A) Firewall.

Port security is the best solution to prevent students from unplugging the network cable from classroom computers and plugging it into their laptops. Port security allows administrators to restrict access to network resources by binding specific MAC addresses to specific switch ports. This means that only authorized devices with registered MAC addresses can access the network through a particular port, preventing unauthorized devices from gaining network access.

A vulnerability scan is the best tool to meet the need of identifying missing security controls with the least impact on the systems that users are accessing. Unlike other options, such as a syn stealth scan or penetration test, a vulnerability scan focuses on identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the network infrastructure and systems. It does not attempt to exploit or disrupt the systems being tested, minimizing the impact on the systems and users. A ping scan, on the other hand, is a basic network scanning technique that only checks the availability of hosts and does not provide detailed information about security controls.

Lisa would use SNMPv3 (Simple Network Management Protocol version 3) to manage and monitor the switches and routers in her network. SNMPv3 is a widely used protocol for network management and provides secure access to network devices, allowing Lisa to gather information about their performance, configure settings, and receive notifications of any issues or changes. It offers authentication and encryption features, making it a suitable choice for ensuring the security of her network management activities.

A web application firewall is the best solution to meet the organization's need for protection and load balancing in the web farm. A web application firewall is specifically designed to protect web applications from various types of attacks, including those that caused the recent downtime. It can inspect and filter incoming and outgoing traffic to detect and block malicious requests. Additionally, a web application firewall can also distribute incoming traffic across multiple servers in the web farm, thereby improving the overall performance and availability of the web applications.

Storage segmentation is an appropriate concept for a CYOD (Choose Your Own Device) deployment model. CYOD allows employees to choose their own devices for work purposes, but it also requires implementing policies to ensure security and control. Storage segmentation involves dividing the storage space on a device into separate partitions, allowing for better organization and security of data. This concept is relevant in a CYOD policy as it helps to ensure that sensitive company data is stored separately from personal data on the employee's chosen device, maintaining data security and privacy.

A mail gateway is the best choice to meet the need of detecting and blocking incidents of sending proprietary data out of the network via email. A mail gateway is a security solution that monitors and filters email traffic, allowing organizations to enforce policies and prevent unauthorized data transfers. It can scan email attachments and content for sensitive information, detect patterns that indicate data leakage, and block or quarantine suspicious emails. By implementing a mail gateway, management can effectively prevent future incidents of sending proprietary data out of the network via email.

Ned would use the "ifconfig" command to view the network configuration of his Linux-based computer. This command is used to display the current network configuration, including IP addresses, network interfaces, and other network-related information.

A honeypot is a security mechanism that is used to divert and distract malicious attacks on a network. It is designed to appear as a valuable target to attackers, attracting their attention and luring them away from actual valuable data. By directing attackers towards the honeypot, organizations can monitor their behavior, gather information about their tactics, and protect their real data from being compromised.

DLP stands for Data Loss Prevention, which is a security solution that helps organizations monitor and control sensitive data to prevent its unauthorized disclosure. In this scenario, DLP can be used to prevent users from copying documents to USB flash drives by implementing policies and rules that detect and block any attempts to copy data to removable storage devices. DLP can also provide alerts and notifications to the management team when such activities occur, allowing them to take appropriate action to mitigate the risk of data loss.

The correct answer is (B) Signature-based. A signature-based HIDS works by comparing the patterns or signatures of known attacks against the system being monitored. In this scenario, the HIDS reported a vulnerability based on a known attack, indicating that it detected a matching signature or pattern. The recommended solution is then applied to mitigate the vulnerability.

False positives can cause an increased workload from incorrect reporting. False positives occur when the IDS incorrectly identifies legitimate network traffic or behavior as malicious. This can result in administrators having to spend time investigating and responding to these false alarms, which increases their workload.

NIPS (Network Intrusion Prevention System) and HIPS (Host Intrusion Prevention System) would provide the best automated protection for the web farm and database server within the DMZ. NIPS monitors network traffic for any suspicious activity and can actively block or prevent intrusions in real-time. HIPS, on the other hand, is installed on individual hosts and monitors their activity, preventing any unauthorized changes or malicious behavior. Together, NIPS and HIPS provide comprehensive protection for both the network and the individual servers, ensuring the security of the e-commerce business.

An in-band IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) is the best choice for preventing future attacks against servers in the organization's DMZ. Unlike an out-of-band IPS, which only monitors network traffic, an in-band IPS actively inspects and filters the traffic in real-time. This allows it to detect and block any malicious activity before it reaches the servers, providing a proactive defense against attacks. A passive IDS (Intrusion Detection System) only monitors traffic and does not actively prevent attacks, while an out-of-band IDS lacks the real-time capabilities of an in-band IPS.

The purpose of the given command is to identify if a server is running a service using port 80 and is reachable. The command uses Netcat (nc) to establish a connection with the server's IP address on port 80. The "-vv" option enables verbose output, "-n" disables DNS resolution, and "-w1" sets a timeout of 1 second. The "echo" command is used to send an empty string as input to the server. If the connection is successful and the server is running a service on port 80, it will respond, indicating that the server is reachable.

This configuration is described as "round-robin." In a round-robin configuration, the load is distributed evenly among the web servers in the web farm by sending each request to the next server in a sequential order. This ensures that each server receives an equal share of the workload, preventing any single server from being overwhelmed.

Implementing an IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) would be the best choice in this scenario. An IPS can detect and prevent attacks by analyzing network traffic and identifying any suspicious or malicious activity. By implementing an IPS, Lenny can effectively detect and block any further login attempts from foreign IP addresses, thereby preventing similar attacks on the organization's public web site. Adding a flood guard to the network may help mitigate against DDoS attacks but will not specifically address the issue of logon failures. Blocking all traffic from foreign countries may not be feasible or practical, as it could potentially block legitimate users from accessing the web site. Disabling the administrator accounts would not address the root cause of the problem and may hinder the organization's operations.

To restrict traffic going to social media sites, the most likely configuration would be a URL filter. A URL filter allows you to block or allow access to specific websites based on their URLs. By configuring a URL filter, you can specify a list of social media site URLs that you want to block, effectively restricting access to those sites. This can be useful in a corporate or educational environment where the use of social media may be deemed inappropriate or distracting.

Load balancing is the best solution for increasing the availability of web-based applications for Internet clients. Load balancing distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers, ensuring that no single server is overwhelmed with requests. This helps to prevent downtime and improves the overall performance and reliability of the applications. By evenly distributing the workload, load balancing also allows for scalability and flexibility in handling increased traffic.

The network is using LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) as the authentication service based on the X.500 specification. LDAP is commonly used in network environments to access and manage directory information, such as user accounts and authentication credentials. The mention of TLS (Transport Layer Security) indicates that the communication between the network and the authentication service is encrypted, ensuring secure transmission of sensitive data.

VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) provides the best solution for separating VoIP and data traffic on a switch. VLAN allows the network administrator to create separate virtual networks within a physical network infrastructure. By assigning VoIP devices and data devices to different VLANs, the traffic can be isolated and kept separate from each other. This ensures that the VoIP traffic remains secure and prioritized, while also preventing any interference or congestion from the data traffic. NAC (Network Access Control) is a security solution, DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is a network architecture, and SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) is a security protocol, but none of them specifically address the requirement of separating VoIP and data traffic like VLAN does.

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is the best choice for sending several large files containing proprietary data to a business partner. SFTP provides a secure and encrypted method of transferring files over a network. It ensures the confidentiality and integrity of the data being transferred, protecting it from unauthorized access or tampering. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is not secure as it transmits data in plain text, SNMPv3 (Simple Network Management Protocol) is not designed for file transfer, and SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) is used for securing real-time communication, not file transfer.

To view failed authentication attempts by users, you should check the /var/log/btmp log on the Linux system. This log file records all failed login attempts, including those made by brute force password attacks. The other options (/var/log/fail, var/log/httpd, /var/log/kern) are incorrect as they do not specifically log failed authentication attempts.

A mail gateway is the best choice for reducing the amount of spam reaching the email server. A mail gateway acts as a filter, scanning incoming emails and blocking or flagging spam messages before they reach the email server. This helps to reduce the server's workload and prevents malicious content from entering the system. A reverse proxy, media gateway, and web application firewall are not specifically designed for spam filtering in email servers.

NAC stands for Network Access Control. It is a technology that allows security administrators to ensure that all devices connecting to the network meet certain security requirements before being granted access to network resources. In this scenario, Marge can use NAC to enforce the requirement of having updated virus definition files on all devices before they can access network resources. NAC can verify the presence and currency of virus definition files on devices, ensuring that they are protected against malware threats before allowing them onto the network.

To prevent users from easily discovering the wireless network, you would modify the SSID broadcast. The SSID (Service Set Identifier) is the name of the wireless network that is broadcasted to allow devices to connect to it. By disabling the SSID broadcast, the network will not be visible to users scanning for available networks, making it more difficult for unauthorized users to find and connect to the network.

To verify that the firewall is blocking ICMP traffic, you would use the "ping" command. The ping command is used to send ICMP echo request packets to a specific network device or IP address and wait for a response. If the firewall is blocking ICMP traffic, the ping command will not receive a response from the target device, indicating that the traffic is being blocked. Therefore, using the ping command will help you confirm whether the firewall configuration is correctly blocking ICMP traffic.

Geofencing is the best solution to restrict access to the Bizz app from mobile devices based on the user's location. Geofencing uses GPS or RFID technology to create a virtual boundary around a specific geographic area. By implementing geofencing, the company can define their property as the designated area where users are granted access to the app. When users are outside this boundary, their access will be automatically blocked, ensuring that only users within the company's property can use the app. Geofencing provides an effective and efficient way to control access based on location.

SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management. It is a solution that helps organizations aggregate and correlate logs from various network devices. SIEM systems collect and analyze logs in real-time, providing administrators with a centralized platform to review and analyze the data. This helps identify security incidents, detect anomalies, and respond to threats more effectively. Nmap, Netcat, and Wireshark are not designed for log aggregation and correlation, making SIEM the best choice for this need.

An anomaly-based IDS is the best choice to detect unusual traffic on the network. Unlike a signature-based IDS, which relies on known patterns and signatures of attacks, an anomaly-based IDS can detect new and unknown threats by analyzing network traffic for deviations from normal behavior. This makes it more effective in detecting malicious activity that may not have a known signature. A network-based firewall, although it can provide some level of security, may not be as effective in detecting unusual traffic patterns as an anomaly-based IDS. A honeynet is a network decoy used to attract attackers, but it does not directly detect or prevent malicious activity.

The NAC (Network Access Control) would most likely have dissolvable agents in this scenario. Dissolvable agents are temporary software components that are installed on mobile devices to check and enforce security policies before granting access to network resources. They are typically used in situations where devices need to meet minimum security standards before being allowed on the network. Unlike permanent agents, which remain on the device even after accessing the network, dissolvable agents are removed once the security checks are completed.

Creating rules to block all incoming traffic from a private IP address would be the best choice to implement anti-spoofing on a border router. Spoofing involves an attacker disguising their IP address to appear as a trusted private IP address. By blocking all incoming traffic from private IP addresses, the router can prevent spoofed traffic from entering the network, thereby enhancing security and mitigating potential spoofing attacks.

The command "Netstat" is used to display active network connections on a computer. It provides information about the active connections, listening ports, and routing tables. By using this command, you can identify if the database server has any active network connections before rebooting it. The other options, such as "Arp," "Ipconfig," and "Ping," do not provide the same functionality as "Netstat" in listing active network connections.

NAC stands for Network Access Control. It is a security solution that ensures that only authorized and compliant devices can access a network. In this scenario, using NAC would be the best option to meet the organization's requirement of ensuring that all VPN clients are using up-to-date operating systems and antivirus software. NAC can enforce policies that require devices to have the latest updates and antivirus software before granting them access to the VPN. This helps to maintain the security and integrity of the network by preventing vulnerable or compromised devices from connecting.

The NAC (Network Access Control) would most likely have dissolvable agents in order to ensure that mobile devices meet minimum security standards before accessing network resources. Dissolvable agents are temporary software components that are installed on the device during the authentication process and are removed once the device is deemed compliant. This allows for a more flexible and scalable approach to enforcing security policies on a wide range of devices without requiring permanent installations or modifications.