SSCP Practice Questions: Security Concepts and Practices Domain

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: Option A is the best initial step as it involves reviewing logs to understand the cause of the access issue, which is a systematic approach to troubleshooting. Option B might resolve the issue but doesn't identify the root cause. Option C could pose a security risk by disabling a policy without understanding the implications. Option D is unlikely to address a security policy-related issue.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct because it restricts SSH access to only the internal network, minimizing the attack surface while allowing necessary web traffic from any source. Option A is incorrect because it allows SSH access from any source, which is a security risk. Option C is incorrect because it blocks legitimate HTTP/HTTPS traffic from the internet. Option D is incorrect because it blocks all inbound traffic, preventing legitimate access to the web server.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct as applying the latest patches and updates is the most effective way to mitigate risks from known vulnerabilities. Option A is impractical as it disrupts service availability. Option C is reactive and does not address the vulnerabilities. Option D is overly restrictive and may not be feasible, especially if the servers provide critical services.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Applying critical patches during a scheduled maintenance window minimizes the risk of disrupting operations while ensuring the server is secured. Immediate patching without review or scheduling could cause unexpected downtime. Enabling automatic updates without oversight can lead to unexpected issues, and isolating the server might not be feasible for critical operations.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct as it allows the IT security team to analyze the email and take appropriate actions to protect the organization. Option A prevents analysis and understanding of the threat. Option C is risky as it involves opening a potentially malicious attachment. Option D might be premature without confirming the email is malicious.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: Disabling unnecessary services and removing default accounts helps reduce the attack surface by limiting the number of potential entry points for attackers. Installing antivirus is important, but it must be updated to be effective, making option B incomplete. Enabling guest access (option C) and opening all firewall ports (option D) would increase the risk of unauthorized access and are not recommended practices.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: Option A is correct because blocking the IP address at the firewall is a direct action to stop the attack and prevent further unauthorized attempts. Option B is less effective as it does not stop the attack. Option C is useful for gathering more information but does not address the immediate threat. Option D could cause unnecessary disruption if the account is legitimate and not compromised.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Granting access based on role and responsibilities ensures that the principle of least privilege is followed, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or data exposure. Option A provides excessive access, option C may provide unnecessary access to data, and option D is insecure and does not follow best practices for credential management.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: Option A is correct because disabling unused services reduces the attack surface of the server. Option B is incorrect because guest accounts can pose a security risk. Option C is incorrect as enabling SSH root login is a security risk; it is better to use sudo for administrative tasks. Option D is incorrect because installing a GUI can introduce additional vulnerabilities and is unnecessary for server management.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation: Enabling TLS (D) for all communications ensures both confidentiality and integrity of data in transit by encrypting the data and verifying its authenticity. Symmetric encryption (A) secures the data but does not inherently provide integrity. Asymmetric encryption with digital signatures (B) provides integrity and authentication but is not typically used alone for encrypting data in transit. A VPN tunnel (C) provides confidentiality but may not ensure integrity and is not always practical for application-level security.