Cybersecurity-Audit-Certificate Sample Questions Answers

When fraud has been detected following an incident, a forensics audit is the most relevant type of audit to conduct. A forensics audit is specifically designed to investigate and uncover evidence of fraud, misconduct, or other financial crimes. It involves the use of auditing and investigative skills to examine financial records, identify irregularities, and gather evidence that can be used in legal proceedings1.

References: The information aligns with the guidance provided by ISACA, which suggests that when fraud is suspected or detected, an audit should focus on the forensic examination of the evidence to understand the nature of the fraud and to gather proof1. Additionally, the role of internal audit in such cases is to assess the controls in place to prevent fraud and not necessarily to investigate the fraud itself unless they have the specific experience and expertise required1.

A security setting that locks a profile after a certain number of unsuccessful login attempts is designed to mitigate brute force attacks. In such attacks, an adversary systematically tries numerous combinations of usernames and passwords to gain unauthorized access. By locking the account after several failed attempts, it prevents the attacker from continuing to try different password combinations, thus thwarting the brute force method.

References = This security measure is a common recommendation in cybersecurity practices, including those suggested by ISACA, to protect against brute force attacks. It is an effective control to prevent attackers from continuously attempting to guess a user’s credentials123.

The control mechanism that is used to detect the unauthorized modification of key configuration settings is file integrity. File integrity is the property of ensuring that files are not altered or corrupted by unauthorized users or processes. File integrity can be monitored by using tools that compare the current state of files with a baseline or checksum and alert on any changes.

 One way to control the integrity of digital assets is through the use of hashing. This is because hashing is a technique that applies a mathematical function to a digital asset, such as a file or amessage, and produces a unique and fixed-length value, known as a hash or a digest. Hashing helps to verify the integrity of digital assets, by comparing the hash values before and after transmission or storage, and detecting any changes or modifications to the original asset. The other options are not ways to control the integrity of digital assets, but rather different concepts or techniques that are related to information security, such as policies (A), frameworks (B), or caching C.

The MOST important thing to verify when reviewing the effectiveness of an organization’s identity management program is whether the processes are aligned with industry best practices. Identity management is the process of managing the identities and access rights of users across an organization’s systems and resources. Industry best practices provide guidelines and standards for how to implement identity management in a secure, efficient, and compliant manner.

Change management processes are designed to ensure that changes are introduced in a controlled and coordinated manner. The main objective is to minimize the impact of changes on the business and its operations. This involves careful planning, testing, communication, and implementation to ensure that business processes continue to operate smoothly during and after the transition.

References: The importance of minimizing disruptions in a change management process is highlighted in various resources, including those from Harvard Business School Online and Bloomfire. They emphasize the need for preparing the organization for change, planning, implementation, embedding the change, and review & analysis to ensure a smooth transition12.

An information security procedure that indicates a requirement to sandbox emails means that the emails need to be isolated and tested for malicious content. This is because sandboxing is a technique that creates a virtual or isolated environment, where suspicious or untrusted emails can be executed or analyzed without affecting the rest of the system or network. Sandboxing helps to detect and prevent malware, phishing, or spam attacks that may be embedded inemails, and protect the users and the organization from potential harm. The other options are not what sandboxing emails means, but rather different concepts or techniques that are related to information security, such as encryption and nonrepudiation (A), backup and recovery (B), or firewall and delivery (D).

The MAIN consideration when storing backup files is protecting the off-site data backup copies from unauthorized access. This is because protecting the off-site data backup copies from unauthorized access helps to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the backup data, and prevent any unauthorized or malicious disclosure, modification, or deletion of the backup data. Protecting the off-site data backup copies from unauthorized access also helps to comply with any regulatory or contractual requirements that may apply to the backup data. The other options are not the main consideration when storing backup files, but rather different aspects or factors that affect the backup process, such as using solid state device (SSD) media (A), storing backup files on public cloud storage (B), or storing copies on-site (D).

 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.

The phase that typically occurs before containment in an incident response is Identification. This phase involves detecting and determining the nature of the incident. It’s crucial to correctly identify an incident before it can be contained, as containment strategies may vary depending on the type of incident.

References: The Incident Response process is generally organized into several key phases, which include Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned1. Identification is the phase where the incident is first recognized and understood, which logically precedes the Containment phase, where measures are taken to limit the impact of the incident.

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 feature that provides the GREATEST assurance that data can be recovered and restored in a timely manner in the event of data loss is that backups of information are regularly tested. This is because testing backups helps to ensure that they are valid, complete, and usable, and that they can be restored within the expected time frame and without errors or corruption. Testing backups also helps to identify and resolve any issues or problems with the backup process, media, or software. The other options are not features that provide the greatest assurance that data can be recovered and restored in a timely manner in the event of data loss, but rather different aspects or factors that affect the backup process, such as availability (B), execution C, or frequency (D) of backups.

The process that converts extracted information to a format understood by investigators is reporting. This is because reporting is a technique that involves presenting and communicating the results and findings of an investigation in a clear, concise, and accurate manner, using appropriate formats, such as tables, charts, graphs, etc. Reporting helps to convey the meaning and significance of the extracted information to the investigators, as well as other stakeholders, such as management, auditors, regulators, etc. The other options are not processes that convert extracted information to a format understood by investigators, but rather differenttechniques that are related to information extraction or analysis, such as ingestion (B), imaging C, or filtering (D).

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 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).

The MOST significant limitation of vulnerability scanning is the fact that modern scanners only detect known vulnerabilities. This is because vulnerability scanners rely on databases or repositories of known vulnerabilities, such as CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), to compare and identify the weaknesses or flaws in systems or applications. Vulnerability scanners cannot detect unknown vulnerabilities, such as zero-day vulnerabilities, that have not been reported or disclosed yet, and may be exploited by attackers before they are patched or fixed. The other options are not the most significant limitation of vulnerability scanning, because they either involve detecting common (A), unknown (B), or zero-day (D) vulnerabilities, which are not the capabilities or limitations of modern scanners.

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.

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.

The main objective of an intrusion detection system (IDS) policy is to establish the criteria for what constitutes an intrusion event and the reporting requirements once such an event is detected. This includes defining what activities are considered anomalies, ensuring that security breaches are identified, and specifying how and to whom these incidents should be reported. The policy sets the foundation for how intrusions are detected, assessed, and managed within an organization’s network infrastructure1.

References: ISACA’s resources on cybersecurity highlight the importance of having a clear IDS policy that outlines the detection and response procedures for security incidents. Such a policy is crucial for the effective monitoring and management of potential security breaches, ensuring that they are promptly identified and addressed1.

Key risk indicators (KRIs) are metrics that can provide an early signal of increasing risk exposures for an organization. KRIs are designed to measure and predict potential losses, and they help in identifying trends that could lead to future risks. They aredifferent from Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which measure the performance related to the achievement of strategic goals. KRIs, on the other hand, are specifically focused on risk and are used to monitor changes in the level of risk exposure.

References: The information is supported by ISACA’s resources, which state that KRIs with thresholds and corresponding trigger actions can enable companies to gain visibility into risks before they occur. These metrics best position enterprises to deal with substantial cyber risks associated with digital transformation and implementing emerging technologies1.

The BEST method of maintaining the confidentiality of digital information is using access controls, file permissions, and encryption. This is because these techniques help to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification of digital information, by restricting who can access the information, what they can do with it, and how they can access it. The other options are not as effective as using access controls, file permissions, and encryption, because they either relate to protecting availability (B), integrity C, or awareness (D).

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 best practice to prevent misuse of administrative privileges is to have administrators use a separate non-privileged account for routine tasks that do not require administrative rights. This reduces the risk of accidental changes or security breaches that could occur if the administrator’s highly privileged account were compromised or misused during daily operations.

References = This control measure is aligned with the principle of least privilege and is commonly recommended in cybersecurity frameworks. While I cannot cite the Cybersecurity Audit Manual directly, similar guidelines are often included in cybersecurity literature and standards, including those from ISACA1. For specific references, please consult the ISACA Cybersecurity Audit resources.

SSH, or Secure Shell, is a network protocol that operates at the Application layer of the OSI model. This is the topmost layer, which allows users to interact with the network through applications. SSH provides a secure channel over an unsecured network in a client-server architecture, enabling users to log into another computer over a network, to execute commands in a remote machine, and to move files from one machine to another.

References: The information aligns with the OSI model’s definition, where the Application layer is responsible for providing network services to the applications of the user12.

The MOST serious consequence of mobile device loss or theft is the compromise of transient data. Transient data is data that is temporarily stored or processed on a mobile device, such as cached data, cookies, browsing history, passwords, or session tokens. Transient data can reveal sensitive information about the user or the organization and can be exploited by attackers to gain access to other systems or networks.

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.

The SLOWEST method of restoring data from backup media is an incremental backup. This is because an incremental backup is a type of backup that only copies the files that have been created or modified since the previous backup, whether it was a full or an incremental backup. An incremental backup makes the restoration process slower, as it requires restoring multiple backups in a specific order and sequence, starting from the last full backup and then applying each incremental backup until the desired point in time is reached. The other options are not methods of restoring data from backup media that are slower than an incremental backup, but rather different types of backup procedures that copy files based on different criteria, such as monthly backup (A), full backup (B), or differential backup C.

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).

When employees use personal mobile devices to access a VPN, the greatest concern for an IS auditor is the potential for sensitive data to be stored in an unsecured manner. If data is stored in plain text, it could be easily accessed by unauthorized parties if the device is lost, stolen, or compromised. This risk is heightened when the devices are not managed by the organization’s IT department, which would typically enforce security policies such as encryption.

References: ISACA’s resources on securing mobile devices and VPN technology assurance emphasize the importance of implementing strong security controls to protect sensitive data on mobile devices. This includes ensuring that data is not stored in plain text and is instead encrypted to prevent unauthorized access1234. The use of mobile device management (MDM) software is also advocated to remotely manage and secure mobile devices used for corporate access1.

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 MOST critical thing to guiding and managing security activities throughout an organization to ensure objectives are met is establishing metrics to measure and monitor security performance. This is because metrics provide quantifiable and objective data that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of security activities, as well as identify gaps and areas for improvement. Metrics also enable communication and reporting of security performance to stakeholders, such as senior management, board members, auditors, regulators, customers, etc. The other options are not as critical as establishing metrics, because they either involve spending money without knowing the return on investment (A), adopting standards without customizing them to fit the organization’s context and needs (B), or conducting training without assessing its impact on behavior change (D).

The characteristic of cloud computing that allows users to provision computing capabilities without human interaction from the service provider is known as on-demand self-service. This feature enables users to automatically manage their computing resources, such as server time and network storage, as needed, which provides agility and flexibility in resource management.

References: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines on-demand self-service as one of the five essential characteristics of cloud computing. It specifies that users can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider1234.

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.

• Identify Baseline Standards: Establish a secure baseline configuration that includes only necessary services and features.
• Compare Server Configurations: Regularly compare current server configurations against the baseline to identify any deviations or unnecessary features.
• Remove Unnecessary Features: Uninstall or disable any services or features not required for the server’s role, reducing the attack surface.

References: Baseline standards serve as a guide for secure configuration and are essential for maintaining the principle of least functionality on servers12. They help in identifying and removing services that are not necessary, thereby reducing potential vulnerabilities.

 The responsibility of an organization to protect its assets, including IT infrastructure and information, falls under the broader umbrella of governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC). Governance ensures that organizational activities, like managing IT operations, are aligned with the business’s goals, risk management involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks, and compliance ensures that the organization adheres to laws, regulations, and policies.

References = While I can’t provide direct references from the Cybersecurity Audit Manual, the concept of GRC is widely recognized in cybersecurity frameworks and best practices, such as those outlined by ISACA and other industry standards.

The BEST indication that an organization’s vulnerability management process is operating effectively is that remediation efforts are prioritized. This is because prioritizing remediation efforts helps to ensure that the most critical and urgent vulnerabilities are addressed first, based on their severity, impact, and exploitability. Prioritizing remediation efforts also helps to optimize the use of resources and time for mitigating vulnerabilities and reducing risks. The other options are not as indicative of an effective vulnerability management process, because they either involve communicating (A), approving (B), or reviewing C aspects that are not directly related to remediating vulnerabilities.