Free CREST CPTIA Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 2

Software as a Service (SaaS) offers the least amount of security responsibility for the end-user or organization, as the service provider manages the underlying infrastructure, software maintenance, security patching, and updates. Choosing a SaaS application means the colleague's organization would not be responsible for the physical servers, operating systems, or the application's security configurations, making it the best option for minimizing their security responsibilities.

References:In the Certified Incident Handler (CREST CPTIA) course materials, the various cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) are discussed with a focus on their implications for security responsibilities and management.

In the scenario where your company sells Software as a Service (SaaS) and is hosted on the cloud using it as a Platform as a Service (PaaS), your company is responsible for eradicating malware in your customer's database. This is because, as the SaaS provider, your company manages the software and is responsible for its security and maintenance, including the databases that store customer data. While the PaaS provider is responsible for the underlying infrastructure, platform, and possibly some middleware security aspects, the application layer security, including data and application management, falls to the SaaS provider. Building management wouldnot be involved in digital security matters, and while customers are responsible for their data, the actual software maintenance and security in a SaaS model are the provider's responsibility.References:Incident Handler (CREST CPTIA) certification materials often discuss cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and their associated security responsibilities, highlighting the importance of understanding who is responsible for what in cloud environments.

Fast-Flux DNS is a technique used by attackers to hide phishing and malware distribution sites behind an ever-changing network of compromised hosts acting as proxies. It involves rapidly changing the association of domain names with multiple IP addresses, making the detection and shutdown of malicious sites more difficult. This technique contrasts with DNS zone transfers, which involve the replication of DNS data across DNS servers, or Dynamic DNS, which typically involves the automatic updating of DNS records for dynamic IP addresses, but not necessarily for malicious purposes. DNS interrogation involves querying DNS servers to retrieve information about domain names, but it does not involve hiding malicious content. Fast-Flux DNS specifically refers to the rapid changes in DNS records to obfuscate the source of the malicious activity, aligning with the scenario described.References:

SANS Institute InfoSec Reading Room

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) Security and Stability Advisory Committee

The Barracuda Email Security Gateway is designed to manage and filter inbound and outbound email traffic to protect organizations from email-borne threats and data leaks. As an incident handler analyzing email headers to find out suspicious emails, using a tool like the Barracuda Email Security Gateway would be appropriate. This tool can help identify and block spam, phishing, malware, and other malicious email threats, making it easier to focus on analyzing potentially harmful emails more closely.

ABC cyber-security company, which has implemented automation for tasks such as data enrichment and indicator aggregation and has joined various communities to increase knowledge about emerging threats, is demonstrating characteristics of a Level 3 maturity in the threat intelligence maturity model. At this level, organizations have a formal Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) program in place, with processes and tools implemented to collect, analyze, and integrate threat intelligence into their security operations. Although they may still be reactive in detecting and preventing threats, the existence of structured CTI capabilities indicates a more developed stage of threat intelligence maturity.References:

"Building a Threat Intelligence Program," by Recorded Future

"The Threat Intelligence Handbook," by Chris Pace, Cybersecurity Evangelist at Recorded Future

A gateway in a network functions as a node that routes traffic between different networks, such as from a local network to the internet. In the context of cyber threats, a gateway can be utilized to monitor and control the data flow to and from the network, helping in the identification and analysis of malware communications, including traffic to external command and control (C2) servers. This makes it an essential component in detecting installed malware within a network by observing anomalies or unauthorized communications at the network's boundary. Unlike repeaters, hubs, or network interface cards (NICs) that primarily facilitate network connectivity without analyzing the traffic, gateways can enforce security policies and detect suspicious activities.References:

"Network Security Basics," Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals

"Malware Command and Control Channels: A Journey," SANS Institute InfoSec Reading Room

The vulnerability exploited by Clark through tampering with form and parameter values to gain unauthorized access to information assets is indicative of Broken Access Control. Broken Access Control vulnerabilities occur when a web application does not properly enforce restrictions on what authenticated users are allowed to do. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to access unauthorized functionality or data, such as accessing other users' accounts, viewing sensitive files, and modifying other users’ data.

Centralized storage architecture refers to a system where data is stored in a localized system, server, or storage hardware. This type of storage is capable of holding a limited amount of data in its database and is locally available for data usage. Centralized storage is commonly used in smaller organizations or specific departments within larger organizations where the volume of data is manageable and does not require the scalability offered by distributed or cloud storage solutions. Centralized storage systems simplify data management and access but might present challenges in terms of scalabilityand data recovery.References:

"Data Storage Solutions for Your Business: Centralized vs. Decentralized," Techopedia

"The Basics of Centralized Data Storage," by Margaret Rouse, SearchStorage

Incorporating a data management requirement in the threat knowledge repository is essential to provide the ability to modify or delete past or irrelevant threat data. Effective data management practices ensure that the repository remains accurate, relevant, and up-to-date by allowing for the adjustment and curation of stored information. This includes removing outdated intelligence, correcting inaccuracies, and updating information as new insights become available. A well-managed repository supports the ongoing relevance and utility of the threat intelligence, aiding in informed decision-making and threat mitigation strategies.References:

"Building and Maintaining a Threat Intelligence Library," by Recorded Future

"Best Practices for Creating a Threat Intelligence Policy, and How to Use It," by SANS Institute

When Investigator Ian gives you a drive image to investigate, the type of analysis you are performing is static analysis. Static analysis involves examining the contents of a drive, file, or binary without executing the system or the application. It's about analyzing the data at rest. This type of analysis is crucial for forensics investigations because it allows for the examination of files, directories, and system information without altering any state or data, thereby preserving the integrity of the evidence. Static analysis is contrasted with dynamic analysis, which involves analyzing a system in operation (real-time or live) or executing the application to observe its behavior.References:Incident Handler (CREST CPTIA) courses and study guides highlight the importance of static analysis in digital forensics, detailing methods for examining disk images, files, and other digital artifacts to gather evidence without compromising its integrity.