Security Roundtable Quiz-3

1. Granting of access privileges to certain files is:

Authentication

Identification

Authorization

Accountability

Answer c:
Be careful not to confuse authentication with authorization.
Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of the sender and/or
receiver of information. Authorization establishes what the user is allowed
to do once the user has been identified and authenticated by the system.
Another “A” term sometimes misinterpreted is accountability, which is the
ability to track actions to users.

Explanation

Answer c:
Be careful not to confuse authentication with authorization.
Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of the sender and/or
receiver of information. Authorization establishes what the user is allowed
to do once the user has been identified and authenticated by the system.
Another “A” term sometimes misinterpreted is accountability, which is the
ability to track actions to users.

2. Audit logs should record all of the following EXCEPT:

Successful access attempts

System performance measurements

Failed access attempts

Changes to user permissions

Answer b:
The audit data will reveal that a specific user accessed the file,
the time of access, and the type of access.

Explanation

Answer b:
The audit data will reveal that a specific user accessed the file,
the time of access, and the type of access.

3. Requiring approval before granting system access would be:

A physical control

A logical control

A compensating control

An administrative control

Answer d:
Administrative controls consist of management activities such
as organizational policies and procedures.

Explanation

Answer d:
Administrative controls consist of management activities such
as organizational policies and procedures.

4. Audit logs should be protected for all of the reasons EXCEPT:

Modification may impede an investigation

An attacker may try to alter them.

They may contain confidential information.

Standard format is critical for automated processing.

Answer d:
The audit trail data should be protected at the most sensitive system level.

Explanation

Answer d:
The audit trail data should be protected at the most sensitive system level.

5. How might an attacker with little systems experience gain privileged systems access?

Dictionary attack

Brute-force attack

Birthday attack

Shoulder-surfing attack

Answer d: Shoulder-surfing
, the process of direct visual observation of monitor
displays to obtain access to sensitive information.

Explanation

Answer d: Shoulder-surfing
, the process of direct visual observation of monitor
displays to obtain access to sensitive information.

6. What is a security benefit related to thin-client architecture?

Reduced total cost of ownership of desktops

Standardized access control

Easier training for users

Wider availability of applications

Answer b:
Access controls can be centrally located on the server.

Explanation

Answer b:
Access controls can be centrally located on the server.

7. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a virus?

Its primary effect is to consume system resources.

It may or may not carry a malicious payload.

It spreads through user action.

It attaches itself to executable code.

Answer a:
Worms usually do not cause damage to data; instead, the worm
absorbs the network’s resources causing the damage.

Explanation

Answer a:
Worms usually do not cause damage to data; instead, the worm
absorbs the network’s resources causing the damage.

8. Important elements in choosing a biometric system include all of the following EXCEPT:

User acceptance

Accuracy

Productivity

Processing speed

Answer c:
Important elements of biometric devices are accuracy, processing
speed, and user acceptability.

Explanation

Answer c:
Important elements of biometric devices are accuracy, processing
speed, and user acceptability.

9. Internal intruders are NOT usually defined as:

Authorized users exceeding their authority

Persons who have defeated the physical access controls of a facility

Employees gaining access to controlled areas

Users who access unintended areas of the network

Answer b:
Authorized users trying to gain access to data or resources
beyond their need-to-know or access limitations. Authorized users trying
to gain unauthorized physical access to network connections, server
equipment, etc.

Explanation

Answer b:
Authorized users trying to gain access to data or resources
beyond their need-to-know or access limitations. Authorized users trying
to gain unauthorized physical access to network connections, server
equipment, etc.

10. What is the best method of reducing a brute-force denial-of-service attack against a password file?

Setting a higher clipping level

Locking out a user for a set time period

Establishing a lockout that requires administrator intervention

Using a stronger cryptographic algorithm

Answer b:
Denial-of-service attack, whereby the perpetrator is able to lock out many users by discovering their user identifications and entering a specified number of invalid passwords, is minimized.
Note that answer A could also be correct but is not the best answer from a security perspective.

Explanation

Answer b:
Denial-of-service attack, whereby the perpetrator is able to lock out many users by discovering their user identifications and entering a specified number of invalid passwords, is minimized.
Note that answer A could also be correct but is not the best answer from a security perspective.

11. Which of the following is NOT a common attack performed against smart cards?

Etching

Microprobing

Fault generation

Eavesdropping

Answer a:
There are several weaknesses and types of attacks against smart cards, including answers b, c, and d.

Explanation

Answer a:
There are several weaknesses and types of attacks against smart cards, including answers b, c, and d.