The purpose of vulnerability management is to:

• Identify, assess, and remediate security weaknesses in systems.

• Monitor network traffic for suspicious activity.

• Develop new software features for applications.

• Manage user access rights and permissions.

Answer explanation

The correct choice highlights the core goal of vulnerability management, which is to identify, assess, and remediate security weaknesses in systems, ensuring they are secure against potential threats.

The phase of the vulnerability management process during which discovered weaknesses are verified and prioritized for remediation is known as:

• Assessment phase

• Remediation phase

• Discovery phase

• Reporting phase

Answer explanation

The assessment phase is where vulnerabilities are verified and prioritized for remediation, ensuring that the most critical weaknesses are addressed first.

The tool typically used to identify known vulnerabilities in systems and applications is:

• Vulnerability scanner

• Firewall

• Packet sniffer

• Load balancer

Answer explanation

A vulnerability scanner is specifically designed to identify known vulnerabilities in systems and applications, making it the correct choice. Firewalls, packet sniffers, and load balancers serve different purposes in network security.

The primary goal of a vulnerability scan is:

• To identify security weaknesses in a system

• To install new software updates

• To monitor network traffic for suspicious activity

• To back up important data

Answer explanation

The primary goal of a vulnerability scan is to identify security weaknesses in a system, allowing organizations to address potential threats before they can be exploited.

A credentialed scan is differentiated from a non-credentialed scan by:

• the use of valid authentication credentials to access systems during the scan

• scanning only external network interfaces

• being performed only by third-party vendors

• focusing solely on web applications

Answer explanation

A credentialed scan uses valid authentication credentials to access systems, allowing for a more thorough assessment of vulnerabilities compared to a non-credentialed scan, which does not have such access.

A vulnerability scanner flags a system as having an outdated version of Apache, but the system is behind a firewall and not accessible externally. This scenario is an example of:

• A false positive

• A zero-day vulnerability

• A true positive

• A denial of service

Answer explanation

The scanner flags the outdated Apache version, but since the system is behind a firewall and not externally accessible, this indicates a false positive. The vulnerability is not exploitable in this context.

The most effective next step after identifying vulnerabilities in a scan is to:

• Prioritize and remediate the vulnerabilities

• Ignore the vulnerabilities and continue operations

• Document the vulnerabilities without action

• Schedule another scan immediately

Answer explanation

The most effective next step after identifying vulnerabilities is to prioritize and remediate them. This ensures that the most critical issues are addressed promptly, reducing the risk of exploitation.

A scan that attempts to exploit vulnerabilities to determine if they are truly exploitable is known as:

• Vulnerability scan

• Penetration test

• Port scan

• Network mapping

Answer explanation

A penetration test actively exploits vulnerabilities to confirm their exploitability, unlike a vulnerability scan, which only identifies potential weaknesses without testing them.

CVE stands for which of the following in the context of vulnerability management?

• Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures

• Critical Vulnerability Enumeration

• Cybersecurity Vulnerability Event

• Certified Vulnerability Entry

Answer explanation

CVE stands for Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, which is a standardized method for identifying and cataloging vulnerabilities in software and hardware, making it easier to share information across different platforms.

The role of the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) is:

• to provide a repository of standardized information on security vulnerabilities

• to manage internet domain names globally

• to develop antivirus software for public use

• to enforce cybersecurity laws and prosecute offenders

Answer explanation

The National Vulnerability Database (NVD) serves as a repository for standardized information on security vulnerabilities, making it essential for cybersecurity professionals to identify and address potential threats.