Free BCS CISMP-V9 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers

Maintaining the currency of risk countermeasures is a continuous process due to the ever-changing nature of risks. Organizations should regularly review and update their risk assessments and countermeasures to ensure they are effective against current threats. This is because new vulnerabilities can emerge, and threat actors can develop new techniques, making previously effective countermeasures obsolete. Therefore, risks should remain under constant review to adapt to the dynamic security landscape, ensuring that the organization’s security posture is resilient and responsive to new information or changes in the environment.

References: The BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles emphasizes the importance of ongoing risk management and the need for regular reviews of security controls and countermeasures1. It aligns with best practices in information security management, which advocate for a proactive and adaptive approach to risk management1.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) is the most beneficial technology for ensuring consistent security settings across an organization’s devices, especially in a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) or mobile computing environment. MDM allows for the central management of security policies,the enforcement of strong authentication measures, and the protection of corporate data on personal devices. It provides the necessary tools to configure devices remotely, enforce security policies, manage applications, and protect against unauthorized access. This aligns with the Information Security Management Principles, particularly under the domains of Technical Security Controls and Procedural/People Security Controls, as it encompasses both the technology and the policies that govern its use by people within the organization123. References: The BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles outlines the importance of understanding the concepts relating to information security management, which includes the knowledge of controls and characteristics that are essential for managing the security of information systems4. Additionally, the benefits of MDM in securing mobile and BYOD environments are well-documented, further supporting its selection as the most appropriate technology for Geoff’s requirements123.

An organization’s security policy should be a reflection of its own security stance and principles, not tailored to third parties. While it may be informed by third-party requirements, the policy itself should not be amended to suit all third-party contractors. This is because the security policy is meant to establish a clear set of rules and expectations for the organization’s members to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its data. It should be defined, approved by management, and communicated to employees and relevant external parties. Amending the policy to suit all third-party contractors could lead to a dilution of the security standards and potentially compromise the organization’s security posture.

References: The information provided aligns with best practices in security policy development, which emphasize the importance of having a policy that is supported by the Board and Chief Executive, manages information assurance, and ensures compliance with legal and regulatory obligations1234.

Syslog is a standard for message logging and allows devices to send event notification messages across IP networks to event message collectors - also known as Syslog servers or SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems. Native support for syslog is commonly found in various network devices and Unix/Linux-based systems.

• Enterprise Wireless Access Points, Linux Web Server Appliances, and Enterprise Stateful Firewalls typically have built-in capabilities to generate and send syslog messages to a SIEM system for monitoring and analysis.
• Windows Desktop Systems, on the other hand, do not natively support syslog because Windows uses its own event logging system known as Windows Event Log. While it is possible to configure Windows systems to send logs to a SIEM appliance, this usually requires additional software or agents to translate Windows Event Log messages into syslog format before they can be sent1.

References: The information provided here is based on common knowledge of system logging protocols and SIEM system capabilities, which are part of the foundational knowledge of Information Security Management Principles as outlined by BCS and supported by industry insights12.

The ISO/IEC 27000 series, particularly ISO/IEC 27001, provides a framework for information security management systems (ISMS) that helps organizations secure their information assets. This series covers various aspects of information security, including the protection of organizational records and data protection & privacy, which are legal compliance requirements in many jurisdictions. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are also considered within the scope of information security as they pertain to the protection of proprietary information and assets. Forensic recovery of data and data deduplication are technical and operational considerations but are not directly addressed as compliance legal requirements within the ISO/IEC 27000 series.

References: The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard outlines the requirements for an ISMS, including the need to address legal, physical, and technical controls to protect information assets12. The Advisera guide on ISO 27001 further explains the standard’s requirements for documented information, which would include organizational records and policies related to data protection and privacy3.

A desk-top exercise is a form of testing for a continuity plan that involves a structured discussion around a written scenario. This scenario is used as the basis for simulation, without the activation of actual resources. It typically involves key personnel discussing the steps they would take in response to a particular set of circumstances, as outlined in the scenario. This type of exercise is designed to validate the theoretical aspects of a plan and ensure that those involved understand their roles and responsibilities. It can also highlight any gaps or issues within the plan that need to be addressed.

References: The BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles provides a framework for understanding the various aspects of information security management, including business continuity management and the different types of testing and exercises that can be used to ensure plans are effective and up-to-date1.

 When an organization opts for public cloud services, it relinquishes direct control over many aspects of security and privacy. While the cloud service provider maintains the physical servers, the organization loses the ability to physically access these servers. This is a significant shift from traditional on-premises data centers where the organization would have complete control over and access to the physical infrastructure. In the context of the public cloud, the organization must rely on the cloud provider’s security measures and protocols to protect its data. However, it’s important to note that while physical access is lost, cloud providers typically offer robust security features and compliance certifications that can compensate for this loss12.

References: The information provided aligns with the principles outlined in the BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles, which emphasizes the importance of understanding the security controls and risks associated with different types of information security management environments3. Additionally, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides guidelines on security and privacy in public cloud computing, which discuss the shared responsibility model and the implications of losing physical control over servers2.

The main issue with qualitative risk assessments is their inherent subjectivity. Unlike quantitative assessments that use numerical data, qualitative assessments rely on the judgment and experience of the assessors to estimate risks. This can lead to inconsistencies if the criteria for ranking and categorizing risks are not clearly defined and agreed upon by all stakeholders involved in the assessment process. The subjective nature of this method can also influence the prioritization of risks, potentially affecting the decision-making process regarding which security controls to implement.

References: This explanation is consistent with the principles of Information Security Management, which highlight the importance of objectivity and clear criteria in risk assessments to ensure effective risk management. The ISACA Journal also discusses the subjective nature of qualitative risk assessments and the need for agreement on rankings1. Additionally, the qualitative versus quantitative dilemma in information security risk assessment is well-documented in academic literature2.

Static verification refers to the set of processes that analyze code without executing it to ensure that defined coding practices are being followed. This method involves reviewing the code to detect errors, enforce coding standards, and identify security vulnerabilities. It is a crucial part of the software development lifecycle and helps maintain code quality and reliability. Static verification can be performed manually through code reviews or automatically using static analysis tools.

References: The BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles includes the understanding of technical security controls, which encompasses static verification as a means to ensure the integrity and security of software code1.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are a threat to any organization that maintains an online presence. This is because DDoS attacks are designed to overwhelm an organization’s network with traffic, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users. While cloud service providers, financial sector organizations, and online retail companies can be attractive targets due to their high-profile nature and the critical nature of their services, the reality is that any organization with an online presence can be targeted.This includes small businesses, educational institutions, government agencies, and non-profits. The motivation behind such attacks can vary from financial gain, to disruption of service, to political statements. Therefore, it’s crucial for all organizations to implement robust security measures to mitigate the risk of DDoS attacks.

References: The BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles provides a comprehensive understanding of information security management, including the categorization, operation, and effectiveness of controls of different types and characteristics, which would encompass those necessary to defend against DDoS attacks1.