Which of the following would help to minimize human engagement and aid in process improvement in security operations?
Correct Answer: C
SOAR stands for security orchestration, automation, and response, which is a term that describes a set of tools, technologies, or platforms that can help streamline, standardize, and automate security operations and incident response processes and tasks. SOAR can help minimize human engagement and aid in process improvement in security operations by reducing manual work, human errors, response time, or complexity. SOAR can also help enhance collaboration, coordination, efficiency, or effectiveness of security operations and incident response teams.
Question 17
A company's internet-facing web application has been compromised several times due to identified design flaws. The company would like to minimize the risk of these incidents from reoccurring and has provided the developers with better security training. However, the company cannot allocate any more internal resources to the issue. Which of the following are the best options to help identify flaws within the system? (Select two).
Correct Answer: C,E
To identify existing vulnerabilities in the web application, the best options are to contract a penetration test and create a bug bounty program. A penetration test simulates attacks against the application to uncover security flaws proactively. A bug bounty program incentivizes external security researchers to find and report vulnerabilities, expanding the testing scope without overburdening internal resources. According to CompTIA CySA+, both methods are highly effective in identifying vulnerabilities from an external perspective, particularly when internal resources are limited. Options like a WAF (A) focus more on prevention than detection, while threat modeling (F) and tabletop exercises (D) are generally proactive measures not focused on active flaw identification.
Question 18
An incident response analyst is investigating the root cause of a recent malware outbreak. Initial binary analysis indicates that this malware disables host security services and performs cleanup routines on it infected hosts, including deletion of initial dropper and removal of event log entries and prefetch files from the host. Which of the following data sources would most likely reveal evidence of the root cause? (Select two).
Correct Answer: B,C
Registry artifacts and EDR data are two data sources that can provide valuable information about the root cause of a malware outbreak. Registry artifacts can reveal changes made by the malware to the system configuration, such as disabling security services, modifying startup items, or creating persistence mechanisms1. EDR data can capture the behavior and network activity of the malware, such as the initial infection vector, the command and control communication, or the lateral movement2. These data sources can help the analyst identify the malware family, the attack technique, and the threat actor behind the outbreak.
Question 19
A cybersecurity analyst has been assigned to the threat-hunting team to create a dynamic detection strategy based on behavioral analysis and attack patterns. Which of the following best describes what the analyst will be creating?
Correct Answer: C
The analyst will be creating TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures). TTPs describe the behavior, methods, and patterns used by attackers during a cyber attack. By focusing on TTPs, the analyst can develop a dynamic detection strategy that identifies malicious activities based on the observed behavior and patterns, rather than relying on static indicators like signatures or IOCs (Indicators of Compromise).
Question 20
Which of the following best describes the importance of implementing TAXII as part of a threat intelligence program?
Correct Answer: B
The correct answer is B. It proactively facilitates real-time information sharing between the public and private sectors. TAXII, or Trusted Automated eXchange of Intelligence Information, is a standard protocol for sharing cyber threat intelligence in a standardized, automated, and secure manner. TAXII defines how cyber threat information can be shared via services and message exchanges, such as discovery, collection management, inbox, and poll. TAXII is designed to support STIX, or Structured Threat Information eXpression, which is a standardized language for describing cyber threat information in a readable and consistent format. Together, STIX and TAXII form a framework for sharing and using threat intelligence, creating an open-source platform that allows users to search through records containing attack vectors details such as malicious IP addresses, malware signatures, and threat actors123. The importance of implementing TAXII as part of a threat intelligence program is that it proactively facilitates real-time information sharing between the public and private sectors. By using TAXII, organizations can exchange cyber threat information with various entities, such as security vendors, government agencies, industry associations, or trusted groups. TAXII enables different sharing models, such as hub and spoke, source/subscriber, or peer-to-peer, depending on the needs and preferences of the information producers and consumers. TAXII also supports different levels of access control, encryption, and authentication to ensure the security and privacy of the shared information123. By implementing TAXII as part of a threat intelligence program, organizations can benefit from the following advantages: * They can receive timely and relevant information about the latest threats and vulnerabilities that may affect their systems or networks. * They can leverage the collective knowledge and experience of other organizations that have faced similar or related threats. * They can improve their situational awareness and threat detection capabilities by correlating and analyzing the shared information. * They can enhance their incident response and mitigation strategies by applying the best practices and recommendations from the shared information. * They can contribute to the overall improvement of cyber security by sharing their own insights and feedback with other organizations123. The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the importance of implementing TAXII as part of a threat intelligence program. Option A is incorrect because TAXII does not provide a structured way to gain information about insider threats. Insider threats are malicious activities conducted by authorized users within an organization, such as employees, contractors, or partners. Insider threats can be detected by using various methods, such as user behavior analysis, data loss prevention, or anomaly detection. However, TAXII is not designed to collect or share information about insider threats specifically. TAXII is more focused on external threats that originate from outside sources, such as hackers, cybercriminals, or nation-states4. Option C is incorrect because TAXII does not exchange messages in the most cost-effective way and requires little maintenance once implemented. TAXII is a protocol that defines how messages are exchanged, but it does not specify the cost or maintenance of the exchange. The cost and maintenance of implementing TAXII depend on various factors, such as the type and number of services used, the volume and frequency of data exchanged, the security and reliability requirements of the exchange, and the availability and compatibility of existing tools and platforms. Implementing TAXII may require significant resources and efforts from both the information producers and consumers to ensure its functionality and performance5. Option D is incorrect because TAXII is not a semi-automated solution to gather threat intelligence about competitors in the same sector. TAXII is a fully automated solution that enables the exchange of threat intelligence among various entities across different sectors. TAXII does not target or collect information about specific competitors in the same sector. Rather, it aims to foster collaboration and cooperation among organizations that share common interests or goals in cyber security. Moreover, gathering threat intelligence about competitors in the same sector may raise ethical and legal issues that are beyond the scope of TAXII.
