Day 5 Quiz - Implementing Vulnerability Scanning Methods & Per..

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

A security analyst is tasked with identifying all devices connected to the corporate network. They decide to utilize a method that assesses each device's operating system and services running. Which method should the analyst implement?

• Map scans

• Passive scanning

• Device fingerprinting

• Non-credentialed scanning

Answer explanation

Device fingerprinting is the method used to assess and identify devices on the network by analyzing their characteristics, such as the operating system and services. Map scans provide a visual representation but do not identify characteristics, passive scanning does not actively probe devices, and non-credentialed scanning lacks detailed information.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

An organization wants to conduct a vulnerability assessment but is concerned about potential disruptions to business operations. They plan to run the scans during off-peak hours to minimize impact. Which special consideration is the organization prioritizing?

• Sensitivity levels

• Scheduling

• Regulatory requirements

• Segmentation

Answer explanation

The organization is prioritizing scheduling to run vulnerability scans during off-peak hours, reducing the likelihood of disrupting business operations. Sensitivity levels pertain to data classification, regulatory requirements relate to compliance with laws and standards, and segmentation involves dividing the network for security purposes.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

A company is implementing a new vulnerability scanning solution that will not require any additional software to be installed on its systems. Which scanning method are they using?

• Agent-based scanning

• Active scanning

• Agentless scanning

• Credentialed scanning

Answer explanation

Agentless scanning is used when a scanning solution does not require additional software to be installed on target systems. Agent-based scanning involves installing software on each system, active scanning actively probes systems for vulnerabilities, and credentialed scanning requires access credentials for detailed assessments.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

An organization responsible for managing a power grid is implementing a vulnerability scanning solution specifically designed for its industrial control systems (ICS). The security team needs to ensure that the scanning does not disrupt critical operations or affect system performance. Which scanning method should the team prioritize?

• Active scanning

• Passive scanning

• Security baseline scanning

• Credentialed scanning

Answer explanation

Passive scanning is the best choice for industrial control systems because it monitors network traffic without actively probing devices, minimizing the risk of disrupting critical operations. Active scanning could cause disruptions, security baseline scanning assesses compliance but may not specifically avoid operational impact, and credentialed scanning may introduce risks in sensitive environments.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

A manufacturing company is implementing a new vulnerability scanning program to assess its operational technology (OT) environment, which includes various supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. The security team wants to establish a baseline to ensure that these systems remain secure over time. Which approach should they take to achieve this?

• Periodic active vulnerability scanning

• Continuous monitoring of network traffic

• Regular security baseline scanning

• External vulnerability assessments

Answer explanation

Regular security baseline scanning will allow the manufacturing company to assess its OT and SCADA systems against predefined security standards and ensure that they remain secure over time. Periodic active scanning may introduce risk, continuous monitoring provides real-time data but does not establish a baseline, and external assessments may not fully cover internal configurations.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

A retail organization is preparing for an upcoming audit and needs to ensure compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The security team wants to implement vulnerability scanning methods that align with these requirements. Which action should the team prioritize?

• Conducting annual vulnerability assessments

• Implementing real-time monitoring of network traffic

• Performing regular internal and external vulnerability scans

• Developing a comprehensive incident response plan

Answer explanation

Performing regular internal and external vulnerability scans is a key requirement of PCI DSS to identify vulnerabilities that could affect cardholder data security. Annual assessments may not be sufficient for compliance, real-time monitoring is important but does not directly address vulnerability scanning, and an incident response plan, while necessary, does not ensure compliance with scanning requirements.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

A financial institution is looking to adopt industry best practices for securing its applications and infrastructure. They plan to utilize the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks for vulnerability scanning. Which approach should the security team take to implement these benchmarks effectively?

• Conduct vulnerability scans without reviewing the benchmarks

• Tailor the benchmarks to fit specific organizational needs

• Focus solely on external scans to meet benchmark criteria

• Use the benchmarks only for external compliance checks

Answer explanation

Tailoring the CIS benchmarks to fit specific organizational needs allows the financial institution to address its unique risk landscape while adhering to industry best practices. Conducting scans without reviewing the benchmarks fails to leverage their guidance, focusing only on external scans does not cover internal vulnerabilities, and using benchmarks only for compliance checks limits their potential for enhancing overall security posture.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

An organization developing a web application is concerned about potential vulnerabilities and wants to follow the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) guidelines. They are planning to conduct vulnerability scans to identify risks early in the development process. What should be the primary focus of their scanning efforts?

• Scanning for compliance with ISO 27000 series

• Identifying and remediating the top ten web application vulnerabilities

• Performing external network vulnerability assessments

• Implementing firewalls to block threats

Answer explanation

The primary focus should be on identifying and remediating the top ten web application vulnerabilities as outlined by OWASP to ensure that the web application is secure from the most critical risks. Scanning for compliance with ISO standards is broader and may not specifically target web vulnerabilities, performing external assessments does not address internal application security, and implementing firewalls is an important security measure but does not directly relate to vulnerability scanning.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

Your organization wants to conduct a vulnerability scan on its internal network without causing any disruption to the production systems. The network administrator recommends using an approach that monitors network traffic without actively probing the systems. Which type of scanning method is most appropriate in this scenario?

• Passive scanning

• Active scanning

• Dynamic scanning

• Non-credentialed scanning

Answer explanation

Passive scanning is the most appropriate method in this scenario as it involves monitoring network traffic without actively probing systems, thus minimizing the risk of disrupting production environments. Active scanning, in contrast, involves sending requests to systems to identify vulnerabilities, which can cause disruptions. Dynamic scanning typically refers to analyzing applications in real-time during execution, while non-credentialed scanning lacks the context provided by credentials, potentially leading to incomplete vulnerability assessments.

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Objective 2.1

Objective 2.1/Day 5 -

You are tasked with performing a vulnerability scan on a critical industrial control system (ICS) network to identify potential security weaknesses. The system operates 24/7 and any interruption could have serious operational consequences. Which type of scanning method should you use to minimize the risk of disrupting the ICS network?

• Active scanning

• Non-credentialed scanning

• Passive scanning

• Dynamic scanning

Answer explanation

Passive scanning is the best choice for this scenario, as it involves monitoring network traffic without actively probing or interacting with the systems, thus minimizing the risk of disrupting the critical industrial control system (ICS) network. Active scanning sends requests to systems to discover vulnerabilities, which could cause interruptions. Non-credentialed scanning does not utilize access credentials, potentially leading to incomplete assessments, while dynamic scanning focuses on real-time application behavior and is not suited for a non-intrusive assessment of an ICS network.

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Objective 2.1