Common Cyber Security Certification Exam Questions 2024

1. What is the purpose of a firewall in network security?

Answer:
A firewall monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. It acts as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks, blocking or allowing traffic based on these rules.

2. What is a VPN, and why is it used?

Answer:
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a secure, encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the internet. It is used to protect data privacy and allow secure remote access to a network.

3. Explain the concept of "least privilege" in cyber security.

Answer:
The principle of least privilege involves giving users and systems only the minimum level of access necessary to perform their tasks. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access and limits potential damage from security breaches.

4. What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Answer:
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security process that requires two or more forms of verification to access a system. Typically, it includes something you know (a password), something you have (a mobile device), and something you are (biometric data).

5. Describe what an intrusion detection system (IDS) does.

Answer:
An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and generates alerts when potential threats are detected. It does not actively block threats but provides valuable information for security analysis.

6. What is the difference between a virus and a worm?

Answer:

• Virus: A virus attaches itself to legitimate files or programs and spreads when the infected file or program is executed. It requires user interaction to propagate.
• Worm: A worm is a standalone malicious program that replicates itself to spread across networks without needing to attach to other programs or files.

7. What is a denial-of-service (DoS) attack?

Answer:
A denial-of-service (DoS) attack aims to make a network or service unavailable by overwhelming it with excessive traffic or requests, thereby preventing legitimate users from accessing it.

8. Define encryption and its purpose.

Answer:
Encryption is the process of converting data into a coded format to prevent unauthorized access. Its purpose is to protect sensitive information by ensuring that only authorized users can decode and read it.

9. What is a security policy, and why is it important?

Answer:
A security policy is a formal document outlining an organization's approach to managing and protecting its information assets. It provides guidelines for ensuring security, compliance, and incident response, and is important for establishing a consistent security posture.

10. What is the purpose of penetration testing?

Answer:
Penetration testing, or pen testing, is a simulated cyber attack designed to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a system, network, or application. Its purpose is to assess security weaknesses and improve defenses.

11. What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

Answer:

• HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): A protocol for transmitting data over the web without encryption.
• HTTPS (HTTP Secure): An extension of HTTP that uses SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transmitted between a web server and a client.

12. What is social engineering in the context of cyber security?

Answer:
Social engineering is a manipulation technique used to deceive individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. It often relies on psychological manipulation and deception.

13. What is a digital signature?

Answer:
A digital signature is a cryptographic mechanism used to verify the authenticity and integrity of a digital message or document. It ensures that the message was created by a known sender and has not been altered.

14. Describe the concept of network segmentation.

Answer:
Network segmentation involves dividing a network into smaller, isolated segments to improve security and performance. It helps contain potential breaches, limit the spread of attacks, and control access to sensitive information.

15. What is a botnet?

Answer:
A botnet is a network of compromised devices controlled by a central entity, often used to perform coordinated attacks, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, or to send spam.

16. What is a security incident response plan?

Answer:
A security incident response plan is a documented strategy outlining procedures for detecting, managing, and mitigating security incidents. It includes steps for identifying, analyzing, and responding to incidents, as well as communication and recovery processes.

17. What is the purpose of an access control list (ACL)?

Answer:
An access control list (ACL) specifies permissions and access rights for users or systems to resources on a network or file system. It helps enforce security policies by controlling who can access or modify resources.

18. What is a vulnerability scan?

Answer:
A vulnerability scan is an automated process that identifies and evaluates security weaknesses in a system or network. It involves using specialized tools to detect vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or missing patches.

19. What is the principle of defense in depth?

Answer:
The principle of defense in depth involves implementing multiple layers of security controls and measures to protect a system. It ensures that if one layer is breached, additional layers will still provide protection against threats.

20. What is the role of a security analyst?

Answer:
A security analyst monitors and analyzes an organization's security posture. Their responsibilities include identifying potential threats, investigating security incidents, implementing security measures, and ensuring compliance with security policies.

21. What is a Trojan horse in cyber security?

Answer:
A Trojan horse is a type of malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program or file to deceive users into installing it. Once installed, it can perform malicious activities such as stealing data or providing unauthorized access.

22. What is a risk assessment?

Answer:
A risk assessment is a process for identifying, analyzing, and evaluating potential risks to an organization's information and systems. It helps prioritize risks based on their impact and likelihood, and guides the development of risk mitigation strategies.

23. What is a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in network security?

Answer:
A DMZ is a network segment that acts as a buffer between an internal network and external networks. It is used to host services that need to be accessible from outside the internal network, such as web servers or email servers, while isolating them from the internal network.

24. What is a security breach?

Answer:
A security breach is an incident where unauthorized individuals gain access to a system, network, or data, leading to the exposure or theft of sensitive information. It often requires a response to mitigate damage and prevent future incidents.

25. What is the purpose of a patch management process?

Answer:
Patch management involves regularly updating and applying patches to software and systems to fix vulnerabilities and improve security. Its purpose is to protect against known threats and ensure systems remain secure and functional.

26. What is a security token?

Answer:
A security token is a physical or digital device used to authenticate a user's identity. It often generates a one-time password (OTP) or uses cryptographic methods to verify the user's credentials.

27. What is the role of encryption in securing data at rest?

Answer:
Encryption secures data at rest by converting it into a coded format that is unreadable without the proper decryption key. This protects stored data from unauthorized access, ensuring confidentiality and integrity.

28. What is the difference between a white-hat and a black-hat hacker?

Answer:

• White-hat Hacker: An ethical hacker who uses their skills to identify and fix security vulnerabilities with permission from the system owner.
• Black-hat Hacker: A malicious hacker who exploits vulnerabilities for personal gain or to cause harm without authorization.

29. What is a cyber security policy?

Answer:
A cyber security policy is a formal document that outlines an organization's approach to managing and protecting its information and IT assets. It includes guidelines for security practices, incident response, access control, and compliance.

30. What is a keylogger?

Answer:
A keylogger is a type of malware designed to record keystrokes on a computer or device. It can capture sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data by logging every keystroke made by the user.

31. What is a security incident?

Answer:
A security incident is any event that threatens the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information or IT systems. It can include data breaches, cyber attacks, system outages, or other events that compromise security.

32. Explain what a hash function is and its role in security.

Answer:
A hash function is a cryptographic algorithm that converts input data into a fixed-size string of characters, called a hash value or hash code. It is used to ensure data integrity by generating a unique hash value for each piece of data, allowing for the detection of changes or tampering.

33. What is a security audit?

Answer:
A security audit is a comprehensive review of an organization's security policies, procedures, and controls. It assesses the effectiveness of security measures, identifies vulnerabilities, and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.

34. What is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack?

Answer:
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack involves overwhelming a target system or network with a flood of traffic from multiple sources, making it unavailable to legitimate users. It aims to disrupt services and cause operational downtime.

35. What is a sandbox in cyber security?

Answer:
A sandbox is a virtual environment used to safely run and analyze potentially malicious code or applications. It isolates the code from the rest of the system, preventing it from causing harm or spreading.

36. What are security patches?

Answer:
Security patches are updates released by software vendors to fix vulnerabilities or issues in their products. Applying these patches helps protect systems from known threats and exploits.

37. What is the purpose of data masking?

Answer:
Data masking involves hiding sensitive data by replacing it with fictitious or scrambled values. Its purpose is to protect sensitive information while still allowing it to be used for testing or analysis.

38. What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?

Answer:

• Symmetric Encryption: Uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. It is fast but requires secure key distribution.
• Asymmetric Encryption: Uses a pair of keys (public and private) for encryption and decryption. It is more secure for key exchange but slower than symmetric encryption.

39. What is a security event log?

Answer:
A security event log is a record of events and activities related to security, such as user logins, system changes, and security alerts. It helps monitor, investigate, and analyze security incidents and maintain audit trails.

40. What is a zero-day vulnerability?

Answer:
A zero-day vulnerability is a security flaw that is unknown to the software vendor and has no available patch. It is exploited by attackers before the vendor becomes aware and releases a fix, making it particularly dangerous.