Network Security Concepts Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What characterizes an armored virus?

It alters the host code to insert itself.

It solely generates unsolicited advertisements.

It confuses antivirus systems to avoid detection. (correct)

It operates primarily over web applications.

What is the primary objective of an advanced persistent threat (APT)?

To gain and maintain unauthorized access to a network. (correct)

To inject harmful code into an application.

To overload a server with traffic.

To fetch large files for data analytics.

Which action best describes active reconnaissance?

Scanning a system's open ports using a tool. (correct)

Tampering with data in transit.

Injecting malware into a working application.

Spoofing an IP address to bypass security.

In the context of network security, what does ARP spoofing aim to achieve?

To poison the ARP cache of a target machine. Signup and view all the answers

What technique is primarily used in application-level DoS attacks?

Overloading the database with inefficient queries. Signup and view all the answers

What unintended consequence does adversarial artificial intelligence (AI) create?

Misleads machine learning models with deceptive inputs. Signup and view all the answers

What action is involved in AP MAC spoofing?

Changing the MAC address of WLAN client equipment. Signup and view all the answers

What is typically a defining feature of adware?

It generates unsolicited ads and pop-ups. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of asymmetric database encryption?

It employs one public key for encryption and multiple private keys for decryption. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of log specifically records events from applications installed on a system?

Application Event Log Signup and view all the answers

What defines a backdoor Trojan?

A program that allows unauthorized access by bypassing standard authentication. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a botnet?

To create a network of compromised computers for distributed tasks. Signup and view all the answers

Which attack method continuously tries every possible password combination?

Brute-Force Attack Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes bluesmacking?

Overloading Bluetooth devices with random packets to crash them. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common vulnerability caused by coding errors that can allow attackers to exploit systems?

Buffer Overflows Signup and view all the answers

What is known as the act of sending unsolicited messages over Bluetooth to devices?

Bluejacking Signup and view all the answers

What term is given to individuals who resort to malicious activities using their computing skills?

Black Hats Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of authentication logs?

To record events during the authentication process. Signup and view all the answers

What does Crossover Error Rate (CER) represent?

The point where the false rejection rate and false acceptance rate are equal. Signup and view all the answers

How does Centralized Authorization benefit an organization?

It simplifies access control through a single authorization database. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act?

To define penalties for unauthorized computer access. Signup and view all the answers

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is mainly used for what purpose?

To improve performance through structured processes. Signup and view all the answers

Which role is primarily responsible for the daily management and oversight of data in an organization?

Data Steward/Custodian Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of Compensating Controls?

To continue operations when intended controls fail or are not available. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of data encryption?

To transform data into an unreadable format Signup and view all the answers

A Clean-Agent Suppression System is useful in what scenario?

To control fires in their initial growth stages using non-damaging agents. Signup and view all the answers

What is characteristic of Combination Locks?

They necessitate a specific sequence of numbers or letters to unlock. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes data retention?

The process of storing data to meet compliance requirements Signup and view all the answers

Who is responsible for collecting and controlling the processing of data in an organization?

Data Controller Signup and view all the answers

What types of materials do Concealed Weapon/Contraband Detection Devices typically search for?

Banned materials such as explosives and weapons. Signup and view all the answers

Circuit-Level Gateways operate at which layers of network architecture?

Session layer of OSI or TCP layer of TCP/IP. Signup and view all the answers

What is data masking used for?

Obscuring parts of data with random characters Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of Client-to-Site VPNs?

To establish secure connections for individual clients remotely. Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to the process of ensuring that data cannot be recovered or used once it's no longer needed?

Data Destruction Signup and view all the answers

What is the main responsibility of a Data Protection Officer (DPO)?

To safeguard the organization's data Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of a DHCP starvation attack?

To empty a DHCP pool entirely and prevent legitimate users from obtaining IP addresses. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a Distributed Reflection Denial-of-Service (DRDoS) attack?

An attack that amplifies traffic through intermediary systems to overwhelm a target. Signup and view all the answers

What technique is employed in a directory traversal attack?

Accessing directories outside the web server root through special character sequences. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of a DNS amplification attack?

To exploit DNS server configurations to increase the volume of traffic directed at a victim. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of attack involves flooding a user with forged de-authentication packets?

De-authentication Attack Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of default passwords in network devices?

They are often published in user manuals and easily guessed. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of networking security, what does a Data Modification Attack accomplish?

Changes data in transit, compromising communication integrity. Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental goal of a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack?

To render a target's resources unavailable to legitimate users. Signup and view all the answers

What activity is involved in dumpster diving as a security risk?

Retrieving discarded documents that contain sensitive information. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following methods do attackers use in a dictionary attack?

Using common password lists to test against encryption. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Armored Virus

Designed to confuse or trick antivirus systems
Prevents detection of the actual infection source

Add-on Virus

Appends its code to the host code without modification
Relocates host code to insert its code

Adware

Software or program that supports advertisements
Generates unsolicited ads and pop-ups

Application Flaws

Vulnerabilities in applications
Exploited by attackers
Active Attacks: Tamper with data in transit or disrupt services to bypass or break into secured systems.

Active Reconnaissance

Direct interactions with the target system
Tools to detect open ports, accessible hosts, router locations, network mapping, and operating systems/applications
Responsible for the attack event

Adversary

Refers to an opponent or hacker
Responsible for the attack event

ARP Spoofing/Poisoning

Sending forged entries to the target machine's ARP cache
Large number of forged entries

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

Maps an IP address to a physical machine address recognized in the local network

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)

Network attack type
Attacker gains unauthorized access and remains undetected for a long period of time

Adversarial Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Attack vector involving malicious intent
Designed by attackers to mislead machine learning models

Application-level DoS Attack

Attacker exhausts available server resources
Sending hundreds of resource-intensive requests or retrieving image files
Requiring expensive database server search operations.

API DDoS Attacks

DDoS attack saturating an API with traffic from multiple infected computers
Delays legitimate user API services

AP MAC Spoofing

Hacker spoofs the MAC address of WLAN client equipment to mask as an authorized client

Android Rooting

Allows Android users to attain privileged control ("root access") within Android's subsystem

Adaptive Chosen-plaintext Attack

Attacker makes interactive queries
Chooses subsequent plaintexts based on previous encryption information

Availability

Assurance that systems are accessible for authorized users when required
Responsible for delivering, storing, and processing information

Authentication

Quality of a communication, document, or data being genuine

Auditing

Tracking and examining network device activities

Active Assessment

A type of vulnerability assessment
Uses network scanners to identify hosts, services, and vulnerabilities

Application Assessment

Focuses on transactional web applications, traditional client-server applications, and hybrid systems

Automated Assessment

Security professional uses tools (Nessus, Qualys, GFI LanGuard) to assess vulnerabilities

Asset Management

Process of monitoring and managing assets (systems, printers, software, hardware)
Cost-effective manner, helping organizational growth

Application Sandboxing

Executes untrusted applications in an isolated environment
Protects the system

Application Patch Management

Monitors and deploys new or missing patches to maintain application security

Application-level Firewall (WAF) Deployment

Protects web servers from malicious traffic

Application Security Frame

Web application security scheme
Threat modeling, vulnerability discovery, and attack surface identification
Providing appropriate countermeasures.

Application Whitelisting

Access control allowing only specific programs to run

Application Blacklisting

Security practice blocking undesirable programs from running

Application Containers

Used to run a single service
Layered file systems built on top of OS container technologies

Anything-as-a-Service (XaaS)

Cloud-computing and remote-access service offered based on demand

AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Web service permitting customers secure control
Over access to AWS services and resources

Access Point (AP)

Connects wireless devices to a wireless/wired network

Association

Process of connecting a wireless device to an AP

Antenna

Device for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves at radio frequencies

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

NIST encryption specification
128-bit block size, key sizes of 128, 192, and 256 bits for different types

ANT

Wireless sensor protocol enabling communication between sensors and controllers

Assets

Different components of OT systems like ICSs
Including sensors, actuators, servers, workstations, network devices, PLCs

Asymmetric Encryption

Uses two separate keys for encryption and decryption

Asymmetric-key Algorithms

Uses two different keys for encryption and decryption

Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data (AEAD)

Ensures the integrity and authenticity of a message

Asymmetric Database Encryption

Method improving over symmetric database encryption
Uses one private key for encryption/decryption, and one public key to encrypt data

Attack Signatures

Suspicious traffic patterns treated as attack signatures

Application Event Log

Records information from applications: events, warnings, and errors

Application Log Entries

All events or actions from application runtime

Authentication Logs

Records authentication process events: access verification for network resources.

Black Hats

Individuals with extraordinary computer skills
Resort to malicious activity, also known as crackers

Backdoor Trojans

Programs bypassing system authentication (IDS/firewalls)

Botnet Trojans

Infects multiple computers to create a network of bots for distributed tasks

Botnet

Collection of compromised computers for a distributed task

Buffer Overflows

Common software vulnerabilities caused by coding errors
Allowing attackers access to the target system.

Bash

Can be used to download and execute malicious files.

Brute-Force Attack

Tries every possible character combination until the password is broken.

Bluesmacking

DoS attack overloading Bluetooth devices

Bluejacking

Sending unsolicited messages to Bluetooth devices like mobile phones and laptops.

Bluesnarfing

Stealing information from a Bluetooth connection.

BlueSniff

Bluetooth wardriving utility

Bluebugging

Remotely accessing and controlling a Bluetooth-enabled device.

BluePrinting

Collecting information about Bluetooth devices (manufacturer, model, firmware version).

Btlejacking

Bypassing security mechanisms and listening to information shared by BLE devices

Birthday Attack

Brute-force attacks against cryptographic hashes, making brute-forcing easier

Birthday Paradox

Probability that two or more people in a group of 23 share the same birthday is greater than 0.5.

Biometrics

Security technology using individual physical attributes (fingerprint, iris, face, voice, and behavior) for verification.

Business Partner Policy

Defines agreements, guidelines, and responsibilities for business partners.

Bollards

Used to control vehicular and pedestrian traffic

Bastion Host

Computer system designed to protect network resources from attacks.

Behavior-Based IDS

Detects intrusion by observing deviations from normal system or user behavior.

Blue Teaming

Security assessment of information security or products.

Black-Box Testing

Simulates real-world attacks, by mapping the network and enumerating services, shared files, and OS discreetly.

Bug Bounty Program

Challenge for security professionals to find bugs and report security vulnerabilities in organizations.

Bandwidth

Amount of information that can be transmitted on a connection

BSSID

Media access control (MAC) address of an access point (AP) or base station.

BYOD

Policy allowing employees to bring their personal devices to the workplace.

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

Wireless personal area network technology for various sectors (healthcare, security, entertainment, and fitness).

Basic Process Control System (BPCS)

Responsible for process control and monitoring in industrial infrastructures.

BACnet

Data communication protocol for building automation and control networks

Block Cipher

Deterministic algorithms on blocks of fixed size with a symmetric key.

Blockchain

Type of distributed ledger technology used to securely record and store transaction history in blocks.

Business Critical Data

Data vital for business operations

Bucketing

Generalizing a field based on values or ranges in data.

Best Evidence Rule

Court allows original evidence of a document, photograph, or recording instead of copies.

Bandwidth Monitors

Tools for evaluating available bandwidth on a local system.

Bit-Stream Imaging

Cloned copy of an entire drive to allow forensic investigators to retrieve deleted files or folders from suspect computer drives.

Business Continuity

Processes and activities ensuring operational continuity regardless of threats
Associated with business functions irrespective of possible outages.

Business Continuity Management (BCM)

Process ensuring business operations continuity during disruptions

Business Recovery

Plan, arrangements, and procedures for restoring operations after a disaster

Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Assessing potential effects of disruptions to critical business operations from disasters.

Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

Comprehensive document ensuring resilience against threats or disruptions
Enables continued operations under abnormal conditions.

Cyber Terrorists

Individuals motivated by beliefs to disrupt computer networks

Criminal Syndicates

Involved in planned criminal activities, including sophisticated cyberattacks.

Crypter

Protects malware from reverse engineering.

Compromised Legitimate Websites

Host embedded malware that affects unsuspecting visitors

Command Shell Trojans

Provide remote control of a victim's command shell.

Cluster Virus

Infect files without file or data modification

Companion Virus/Camouflage Virus

Store themselves with the same filename as the target program

Computer Worms

Standalone malicious programs that independently replicate and spread

Cryptomining

Uses victim's assets/financial data for digital mining of cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin)

Close-in Attacks

Attackers perform acts (gather, modify, disrupt) in close proximity to the target system or network.

Clearing Tracks

Activities of an attacker to conceal malicious acts within the network.

Cyber Kill Chain Methodology

Component of intelligence-driven defense for malicious intrusion activity identification and prevention.

Card Cloning

Creating a duplicate of a credit card or access card by copying information.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS or CSS)

Exploits website vulnerabilities to inject client-side scripts

Command Injection

Attackers exploit vulnerabilities by injecting malicious commands into applications to execute arbitrary commands

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

Exploits vulnerabilities allowing an attacker to force a user's browser to perform malicious requests without their intention.

Consensus

People usually like or do things others like or do.

Credential Harvesting

Collecting credentials through phishing, password dumping tools, and MITM attacks.

Cryptanalysis Attack

Applies the same procedure as a replay attack, along with reverse engineering of protocol, to capture original signals.

Cloud Hopper Attack

Triggered at managed service providers (MSPs) and their users

Cloud Cryptojacking

Unauthorized use of victim's computer for digital currency mining through the cloud.

Cloudborne

Vulnerability residing in a bare-metal cloud server, implanting malicious backdoors into the firmware

Ciphertext-only Attack

Attacker accesses the ciphertext to recover the encryption key.

Chosen-plaintext Attack

Attacker defines plaintext, feeds it to the cipher, and analyzes resulting ciphertext to decrypt.

Chosen-key Attack

Attacker breaks an n-bit key cipher into operations for decryption.

Confidentiality

Access to information is restricted to authorized parties only.

Continual/Adaptive Security Strategy

Continuous actions (prediction, prevention, detection, and response) to ensure comprehensive network defense.

Crossover Error Rate (CER)

False rejection rate and false acceptance rate when sensitivity in systems is adjusted accordingly.

Centralized Authorization

Maintains a single database for authorizing network resources or applications.

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

States that unauthorized access and excessive access to protected computer systems for information theft is illegal.

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)

Process model guiding organizations to promote behaviors that improve performance.

Change Management Policy

Helps minimize service disruptions while implementing changes
By following standard change procedures, within an organization

Compensating Controls

Used when intended controls fail or are not applicable.

Clean-Agent Suppression System

Inert gas or chemicals to control fires in the initial growth stage.

Combination Locks

Combination of numbers and/or letters needed to open.

Concealed Weapon/Contraband Detection Devices

Materials prohibited from entering the controlled environment (e.g., explosives, bombs, weapons)

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts in network security, including advanced persistent threats, reconnaissance techniques, and the characteristics of various online threats. This quiz covers essential topics that are crucial for understanding modern cybersecurity challenges.