Cybersecurity-Audit-Certificate ISACA Cybersecurity Audit Certificate Exam Question and Answers

Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is a more efficient form of public key cryptography as it demands less computational power and offers more security per bit. ECC is based on the mathematical properties of elliptic curves, which are curves that have a special shape that makes them suitable for cryptography. ECC can achieve the same level of security as other public key algorithms with much smaller key sizes, which reduces storage and bandwidth requirements.

The GREATEST drawback when using the AICPA/CICA Trust Services to evaluate a cloud service provider is the lack of specificity in the principles. This is because the AICPA/CICA Trust Services are a set of principles and criteria that provide guidance for evaluating and reporting on controls over information systems and services. However, the principles and criteria are very broad and generic, and do not address the specific risks and challenges that are associated with cloud services, such as data sovereignty, multi-tenancy, portability, etc. The other options are not drawbacks when using the AICPA/CICA Trust Services to evaluate a cloud service provider, but rather different aspects or benefits of using the AICPA/CICA Trust Services to evaluate a cloud service provider, such as compatibility (A), confidentiality C, or reporting (D).

Cross-site scripting (XSS) is a security vulnerability typically found in web applications. XSS enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into otherwise benign and trusted websites. When other users load the infected pages, the malicious scripts execute, which can lead to unauthorized access, data theft, and a variety of other malicious outcomes.

References = While I can’t provide direct references from the Cybersecurity Audit Manual, the concept of XSS and its implications are well-documented in cybersecurity literature, including resources provided by ISACA1. For a detailed understanding, you may refer to the ISACA Cybersecurity Audit Certificate resources or other ISACA study materials.

Cybersecurity insurance typically covers direct and immediate losses due to data breaches and information security breaches. This often includes legal costs, credit monitoring costs, litigation costs (such as breach of privacy), and costs of regulatory investigations. Forensic investigation is a critical component of the response to a cyber incident, and the costs associated with it are generally covered under a cybersecurity insurance policy.

References: The information is supported by an article from ISACA titled “A Bird’s Eye View of Cyberinsurance Plans,” which outlines the general coverage provided by cyberinsurance plans, including forensic investigations1.

Cyber threat intelligence aims to research and analyze trends and technical developments in the areas of cybercrime, hacktivism, and espionage. These are the main sources of malicious cyber activities that pose risks to organizations and individuals. Cyber threat intelligence helps to understand the motivations, capabilities, tactics, techniques, and procedures of various threat actors and groups.

The MOST important thing for an IS auditor to consider in an assessment of the potential risk factors when a cloud service provider has not adequately secured its application programming interface (API) is the impact on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the cloud service. An API is a set of rules and protocols that allows communication and interaction between different software components or systems. An API is often used by cloud service providers to enable customers to access and manage their cloud resources and services. However, if an API is not adequately secured, it can expose the cloud service provider and its customers to various threats,such as unauthorized access, data breaches, tampering, denial-of-service attacks, or malicious code injection.

The correct answer is C. SSH.

SSH stands for Secure Shell, a client-server program that opens a secure, encrypted command-line shell session from the Internet for remote logon. SSH allows users to remotely access and execute commands on a server without exposing their credentials or data to eavesdropping, tampering or replay attacks.SSH also supports secure file transfer protocols such as SFTP and SCP1.

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, a technology that creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between two or more devices over a public network such as the Internet.VPN allows users to access resources on a remote network as if they were physically connected to it, while protecting their privacy and identity2.

IPsec stands for Internet Protocol Security, a set of protocols that provides security at the network layer of the Internet. IPsec supports two modes: transport mode and tunnel mode. Transport mode encrypts only the payload of each packet, while tunnel mode encrypts the entire packet, including the header.IPsec can be used to secure VPN connections, as well as other applications that require data confidentiality, integrity and authentication3.

SFTP stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol, a protocol that uses SSH to securely transfer files between a client and a server over a network. SFTP provides encryption, authentication and compression features to ensure the security and reliability of file transfers.

1:SSH (Secure Shell)2:What is a VPN? How It Works, Types of VPN | Kaspersky3:IPsec - Wikipedia: [SFTP - Wikipedia]

 A web application firewall (WAF) is specifically designed to monitor, filter, and block HTTP traffic to and from a web application. It is different from other types of firewalls because it can filter the content of specific web applications. By inspecting HTTP traffic, a WAF can prevent attacks stemming from web application security flaws, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), file inclusion, and security misconfigurations.

References: The use of WAFs to block XSS and SQL injection attacks is well-documented in cybersecurity literature. They are recognized for their ability to perform a detailed inspection of HTTP traffic, applying rules to an HTTP conversation to cover a wide range of security issues, including XSS and SQL injection, which are not typically covered by other firewall types12.

Tracing the access and origin of an intrusion is crucial for performing a root cause analysis. This process involves identifying the underlying factors that led to the security breach. By understanding how the intrusion happened, organizations can better address the specific vulnerabilities that were exploited and implement more effective security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

References: ISACA’s resources on cybersecurity audit emphasize the importance of root cause analysis in the event of an intrusion. It is a key step in the cybersecurity audit process to understand the weaknesses that led to the incident and to improve the overall security posture of the organization1.

In a teaming exercise, the purple team is responsible for integrating the defensive tactics and controls from the blue team (defensive) with the threats and vulnerabilities found by the red team (attacking). The purple team’s role is to ensure that the defense mechanisms are effective against the identified threats and to improve the overall security posture of the organization. They work collaboratively with both the red and blue teams to provide a comprehensive view of the organization’s security readiness1.

References: The concept of red, blue, and purple teams in cybersecurity is well-documented in ISACA’s resources. The purple team is described as a group of cybersecurity professionals who play the roles of both the red team and blue team in an ongoing and integrated manner. Their objective is to provide reliable cyber assurance by collecting intelligence on tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by adversaries (as a red team) and then analyzing these TTPs to configure, tune, and improve the incident detection and response capability (as a blue team)1.

A security operations center (SOC) is a centralized unit that monitors, detects, analyzes, and responds to cyber threats and incidents in real time. A SOC enables continuous identification and mitigation of security threats to an organization by using various tools, processes, and expertise.

The GREATEST advantage of using a virtual private network (VPN) over dedicated circuits and dial-in servers is that it is more cost effective. This is because a VPN is a technology that creates a secure and encrypted connection between a client and a server over an existing public network, such as the Internet. A VPN reduces the cost of establishing and maintaining a secure communication channel, as it does not require any additional hardware, software, or infrastructure, unlike dedicated circuits and dial-in servers, which require dedicated lines, modems, routers, switches, etc. The other options are not the greatest advantage of using a VPN over dedicated circuits and dial-in servers, because they either involve security (A), reliability (B), or speed C aspects that may not be significantly different or better than dedicated circuits and dial-in servers.

Standards define the minimum acceptable rules for policy compliance. They are established by consensus and approved by a recognized body that provides forcommon and repeated use, rules, guidelines, or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.

References: The information aligns with the ISACA’s definitions and usage of terms related to cybersecurity audits, where standards are often referred to as the mandatory requirements that must be followed to ensure policy compliance12.

 The principle of least privilege is a security concept that restricts users’ access rights to only what is strictly necessary for their job functions. This control is the most effective in preventing unauthorized data access because it minimizes the chances of users, either intentionally or unintentionally, accessing data they are not authorized to view. It ensures that users are granted the minimum levels of access – or permissions – needed to perform their work. This reduces the risk of accidental or deliberate access to sensitive information.

References: The concept of least privilege is widely recognized as a fundamental security measure and is discussed in various ISACA resources. It is a key component of access control frameworks and is designed to limit the risk of unauthorized access to data, as outlined in ISACA’s guidelines1234. The principle is also part of the Identity and Access Management Audit Program provided by ISACA, which includes specific testing and evaluation criteria to assess the adequacy of safeguards in place to mitigate risks associated with unauthorized data access5.

The cloud characteristic that refers to resource utilization that can be optimized by leveraging charge-per-use capabilities is measured service. This is because measured service is a characteristic of cloud computing that involves monitoring, controlling, and reporting on the usage and consumption of cloud resources by cloud providers and consumers. Measured service helps to optimize resource utilization by leveraging charge-per-use capabilities, which means that cloud consumers only pay for the amount of resources that they actually use or consume, rather than paying for fixed or predetermined amounts of resources. The other options are not cloud characteristics that refer to resource utilization that can be optimized by leveraging charge-per-use capabilities, but rather different characteristics of cloud computing that describe other aspects or benefits of cloud services, such as on demand self-service (A), elasticity (B), or resource pooling (D).

A full backup involves copying all data to the backup storage location. It is the most comprehensive type of backup, which makes it the most time-consuming. This is because every file and folder is included in the backup, regardless of when it was last modified.

Incremental and differential backups are faster because they only copy data that has changed since the last backup. Incremental backups include data that has changed since the last incremental backup, while differential backups include data that has changed since the last full backup.

Offsite backups refer to the location where the backup is stored rather than the method of backup, so the time required can vary widely depending on the specific circumstances.

References: The information provided here is based on standard backup practices and principles, which are likely to be consistent with those found in ISACA’s Cybersecurity Audit resources. For specific references, please consult the ISACA Cybersecurity Audit Manual or related study guides12.

A feature of a stateful inspection firewall is that it is capable of detecting and blocking sophisticated attacks. A stateful inspection firewall is a type of firewall that monitors and analyzes the state and context of network traffic. It keeps track of the source, destination, protocol, port, and session information of each packet and compares it with a set of predefined rules. A stateful inspection firewall can detect and block attacks that exploit the logic or behavior of network protocols or applications, such as fragmentation attacks, session hijacking, or application-layer attacks.

Specific, mandatory controls or rules to support and comply with a policy are known as standards. This is because standards define the minimum level of performance or behavior that is expected from an organization or its employees in order to achieve a policy objective or requirement. Standards also provide clear and measurable criteria for auditing and monitoring compliance with policies. The other options are not specific, mandatory controls or rules to support and comply with a policy, but rather different types of documents or tools that provide guidance or recommendations for implementing policies or controls, such as frameworks (A), guidelines (B), or baselines C.

The document that contains the essential elements of effective processes and describes an improvement path considering quality and effectiveness is Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). This is because CMMI is a framework that defines five levels of process maturity, from initial to optimized, and provides best practices and guidelines for improving the quality and effectiveness of processes across different domains, such as software development, service delivery, or cybersecurity. The other options are not documents that contain the essential elements of effective processes and describe an improvement path considering quality and effectiveness, but rather different types of documents or tools that provide guidance or recommendations for implementing policies or controls, such as Balanced Scorecard (B), ISO 27004:2009 C, or COBIT 5 (D).

Secret key encryption, also known as symmetric encryption, involves a single key for both encryption and decryption. This method provides the best protection for data on a computer that is stolen because it renders the data unreadable without the key. Even if the thief has access to the physical hardware, without the secret key, the data remains secure and inaccessible.

References: ISACA’s resources emphasize the importance of encryption in protecting information assets. Encryption is a critical control for ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of data, especially for devices that may be lost or stolen. The use of secret key encryption is a widely recommended practice for safeguarding sensitive data on mobile devices and laptops as part of an organization’s data protection strategy123.

An example of an application security control is secure coding. Secure coding is the practice of developing software applications that follow security principles and standards to prevent or mitigate common vulnerabilities and risks. Secure coding involves applying techniques such as input validation, output encoding, error handling, encryption, and testing.

The risk of an evil twin attack on mobile devices is PRIMARILY due to the use of generic names that mobile devices will accept without verification. An evil twin attack is a type of wireless network attack where an attacker sets up a rogue access point that mimics a legitimate one. The attacker can then lure unsuspecting users to connect to the rogue access point and intercept their data or launch further attacks. Mobile devices are vulnerable to evil twin attacks because they often use generic names for their wireless networks, such as “Free WiFi” or “Public Hotspot”. These names can be easily spoofed by an attacker and accepted by mobile devices without verifying the identity or security of the access point.

The FIRST activity associated with a successful cyber attack is reconnaissance. This is because reconnaissance is a phase of the cyber attack lifecycle that involves gathering information about the target organization or system, such as its network topology, IP addresses, open ports, services, vulnerabilities, etc. Reconnaissance helps to identify potential entry points and weaknesses that can be exploited by the attackers in later phases of the attack. The other options are not the first activity associated with a successful cyber attack, but rather follow after reconnaissance in the cyber attack lifecycle, such as exploitation (A), maintaining a presence C, or creating attack tools (D).

The “recover” function of the NIST cybersecurity framework is concerned with planning for resilience and timely repair of compromised capacities and service. This is because the recover function helps organizations to restore normal operations as quickly as possible after a cybersecurity incident, while also learning from the incident and improving their security posture. The other options are not part of the recover function, but rather belong to the identify (B), respond C, or protect (D) functions.

Using a data loss prevention (DLP) solution to monitor data saved to a USB memory device is an example of managing data at rest. Data at rest is data that is stored on a device or media, such as hard disks, flash drives, tapes, or CDs. Data at rest can be exposed to unauthorized access, theft, orloss if not properly protected. A DLP solution is a tool that monitors and controls the movement and usage of data across an organization’s network or endpoints. A DLP solution can prevent users from saving sensitive data to removable devices or alert on any violations of data policies.

 In key protection/management, access should be aligned with the principle of least privilege. This means that users should only have the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks and no more. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access, misuse, or compromise of sensitive data or systems.

A passive activity that could be used by an attacker during reconnaissance to gather information about an organization is using open source discovery. This is because open source discovery is a technique that involves collecting and analyzing publicly available information about an organization, such as its website, social media, press releases, annual reports, etc. Open source discovery does not require any direct interaction or communication with the target organization or its systems or network, and therefore does not generate any traffic or alerts that could be detected by the organization’s security controls. The other options are not passive activities that could be used by an attacker during reconnaissance to gather information about an organization, but rather active activities that involve direct or indirect interaction or communication with the target organization or its systems or network, such as scanning the network perimeter (B), social engineering C, or crafting counterfeit websites (D).

During the containment phase, the immediate response to an incident involves limiting its scope and magnitude, which includes preserving evidence. This is crucial for a subsequent forensic analysis and for learning lessons from the incident to prevent future occurrences.

References = The containment phase is part of the incident response process as outlined in ISACA’s resources, which include steps such as detection and analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident activities12.

The MOST important consideration when choosing between different types of cloud services is the overall risk and benefits. This is because choosing between different types of cloud services involves weighing the trade-offs between the risk and benefits of each type of cloud service, such as Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). For example, SaaS may offer more benefits in terms of cost savings, scalability, and usability, but also more risks in terms of security, privacy, and compliance. On the other hand, IaaS may offer more benefits in terms of flexibility, customization, and control, but also more risks in terms of complexity, management, and maintenance. The other options are not the most important consideration when choosing between different types of cloud services, but rather different aspects or factors that affect the choice of cloud services, such as emerging risk and infrastructure scalability (A), security features available on demand (B), or reputation of the cloud providers (D).

The device that is at GREATEST risk from activity monitoring and data retrieval is mobile devices. This is because mobile devices are devices that are portable, wireless, and connected to the Internet or other networks, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Mobile devices are at greatest risk from activity monitoring and data retrieval, because they can be easily lost, stolen, or compromised by attackers who can access or extract the data stored or transmitted on the devices. Mobile devices can also be subject to activity monitoring and data retrieval by third-party applications or services that may collect or share the user’s personal or sensitive information without their consent or knowledge. The other options are not devices that are at greatest risk from activity monitoring and data retrieval, but rather different types of devices that may have different levels of risk or protection from activity monitoring and data retrieval, such as cloud storage devices (B), desktop workstations C, or printing devices (D).

Using digital evidence to provide validation that an attack has actually occurred is an example of computer forensics. This is because computer forensics is a discipline that involves the identification, preservation, analysis, and presentation of digital evidence from various sources, such as computers, networks, mobile devices, etc., to support investigations of cyber incidents or crimes. Computer forensics helps to provide validation that an attack has actually occurred, by examining the digital traces or artifacts left by the attackers on the compromised systems or devices, and by reconstructing the sequence and timeline of events that led to the attack. The other options are not examples of using digital evidence to provide validation that an attack has actually occurred, but rather different techniques or processes that are related to computer forensics, such as extraction (B), identification C, or data acquisition (D).

The MOST important factor to ensure the successful implementation of continuous auditing is top management support. This is because top management support helps to provide the vision, direction, and resources for implementing continuous auditing within the organization. Top management support also helps to overcome any resistance or challenges that may arise from implementing continuous auditing, such as cultural change, stakeholder buy-in, process reengineering, etc. Top management support also helps to ensure that the results and findings of continuous auditing are communicated and acted upon by the relevant decision-makers and stakeholders. The other options are not factors that are more important than top management support for ensuring the successful implementation of continuous auditing, but rather different aspects or benefits of continuous auditing, such as storage hardware (A), technical resources (B), or processing capacity (D).

Risk assessment is a fundamental part of the cybersecurity framework and is used to identify, estimate, and prioritize risks to organizational operations, assets, individuals, other organizations, and the Nation, resulting from the operation and use of information systems. A risk assessment helps in understanding the potential impact of different security threats and the effectiveness of the controls in place, thereby guiding the selection of appropriate controls to reduce risk to an acceptable level.

References: The ISACA Cybersecurity Audit resources emphasize the importance of risk assessment in determining the most suitable controls for an organization’s specific security needs. This aligns with the guidance provided by ISACA, which suggests that risk assessments are crucial for identifying the right controls to mitigate cybersecurity risks123.

The MOST cost-effective technique for implementing network security for human resources (HR) desktops and internal laptop users in an organization is using a virtual local area network (VLAN). A VLAN is a logical grouping of network devices that share the same broadcast domain regardless of their physical location or connection. A VLAN can enhance network security by isolating different types of traffic or users from each other and applying different security policies or rules based on the VLAN membership. For example, an organization can create a VLAN for HR desktops and internal laptop users that restricts their access to only HR-related systems or resources. A VLAN can also reduce network costs by saving bandwidth, improving performance, and simplifying management.

The GREATEST challenge to information risk management when outsourcing IT function to a third party is that providers may be reluctant to share technical details on the extent of their information protection mechanisms. This is because providers may consider their information protection mechanisms as proprietary or confidential, or may not want to reveal their weaknesses or vulnerabilities. This makes it difficult for the outsourcing organization to assess the level of security and compliance of the provider, and to monitor and audit their performance. The other options are not as challenging as providers being reluctant to share technical details, because they either involve legal or contractual aspects that can be clarified or negotiated before outsourcing (A, D), or human resource aspects that can be verified or validated by the provider C.

The EASIEST thing for a malicious attacker to detect is the susceptibility to reverse engineering. Reverse engineering is the process of analyzing the code or functionality of an application to understand its structure, logic, or design. Reverse engineering can be used by attackers to discover vulnerabilities, bypass security mechanisms, or modify the application’s behavior. Mobile applications are often susceptible to reverse engineering because they are distributed in binary form and can be easily decompiled or disassembled.

A limitation of intrusion detection systems (IDS) is that they cannot detect application-level vulnerabilities. An IDS is a tool that monitors network traffic or system activity and alerts on any suspicious or malicious events. However, an IDS cannot analyze the logic or functionality of applications and identify vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, or broken authentication.