Free ECCouncil 712-50 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 5

Key Cybersecurity Feature of a PIV Card:

The PIV card securely stores a private key that cannot be exported, ensuring it is only used within the card itself.

This prevents unauthorized access or duplication of sensitive cryptographic credentials.

Why Not Other Options:

B: While a PIV card might be used for physical identification, this is not its primary cybersecurity feature.

C: A photograph helps with physical identification, but it is not a cybersecurity feature.

D: PIV cards are not designed to function as secure flash drives.

For a big-box retail store chain, PCI DSS is the most critical compliance standard as it governs the security of cardholder data. Compliance ensures secure handling of payment transactions and reduces the risk of breaches, which could lead to financial and reputational damage. While ISO 27002 (B) and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (C) provide general guidance, and FedRAMP (A) applies to government cloud service providers, PCI DSS specifically addresses the core compliance needs of retail businesses.

Managing Stakeholder Expectations:

Effective communication ensures stakeholders are informed about project goals, progress, and potential risks.

Clear and consistent communication builds trust and alignment with stakeholders’ expectations.

Why Not Other Options:

A: Forcing resource commitment can lead to resistance and conflict.

C: Written commitment is useful but does not address ongoing expectation management.

D: Finalizing scope is important but secondary to continuous communication.

A bastion host is a fortified system designed to withstand attacks and is placed beyond the outer perimeter firewall to act as a buffer between the public network and internal systems. Its strategic location ensures it handles external-facing services securely, minimizing risks to internal networks. Placing it inside the DMZ (A) or inline with the data center firewall (B) limits its protective functionality. It is also distinct from honeynet management (D).

System Security Plan (SSP) Overview:

Documents the controls in place to secure a system, the type of information handled, and system interconnections.

Focuses on describing the system's security posture, not external audit results.

Why Not Other Options:

A: Controls are a core part of the SSP.

B: Connected systems must be documented for interconnection security.

D: The type of information processed is required to determine security requirements.

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a method used to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives to determine the most cost-effective way to achieve benefits while preserving savings. This involves comparing the expected costs and benefits of a decision, ensuring optimal allocation of resources. It is more specific to decision-making than Business Impact Analysis (A), Economic Impact Analysis (B), or Return on Investment (C), which focus on other financial or strategic aspects.

 Understanding the Attack Phases

According to EC-Council's methodology, attackers typically follow these sequential steps during a network attack:

Reconnaissance: The attacker gathers preliminary information about the target to identify vulnerabilities.

Scanning and Enumeration: Using tools to actively discover open ports, services, and potential weak points in the network.

Gaining Access: Exploiting identified vulnerabilities to penetrate the system or network.

Maintaining Access: Deploying backdoors, Trojans, or other mechanisms to ensure continued access even after the initial breach.

Covering Tracks: Removing logs, hiding activities, and employing obfuscation tactics to avoid detection.

 Correct Order

Based on the above explanation:

Reconnaissance (4) → Scanning and Enumeration (2) → Gaining Access (5) → Maintaining Access (3) → Covering Tracks (1).

 EC-Council References

CEH Phases of Hacking: These steps align with the five phases of hacking outlined in EC-Council's ethical hacking curriculum.

CISO Emphasis on Incident Lifecycle: A CISO must be familiar with attack methodologies to detect, mitigate, and respond effectively.