, Question 1
An organization's risk assessment identifies a vulnerability with a CVSS base
score of 9.8, but the asset has no network exposure and requires physical
access with two-factor authentication. Which risk treatment decision best
reflects a quantitative risk analysis?
A. Immediately patch because CVSS 9.8 mandates emergency change
control.
B. Accept the residual risk if the annualized loss expectancy is below the
cost of mitigation.
C. Transfer the risk by purchasing cyber insurance regardless of exposure.
D. Avoid the risk by decommissioning the asset without further analysis.
Correct Answer: B - Accept the residual risk if the annualized
loss expectancy is below the cost of mitigation.
RATIONALE
Quantitative risk analysis compares annualized loss expectancy (ALE)
to the cost of controls; if mitigation cost exceeds ALE, acceptance is
rational. CVSS alone does not dictate treatment without considering
exploitability and asset value. Insurance transfer and decommissioning
require cost-benefit justification, not reflexive action.
Question 2
A security architect must ensure that a digital signature provides
non-repudiation and integrity but not confidentiality. Which cryptographic
primitive combination achieves this requirement most precisely?
A. Encrypt the message with the sender's private key, then hash the
ciphertext.
B. Hash the message, then encrypt the hash with the sender's private key.
C. Encrypt the message with the recipient's public key, then hash it.
D. Hash the message with a shared secret key and transmit the hash.
Correct Answer: B - Hash the message, then encrypt the hash
Page 2
,with the sender's private key.
RATIONALE
Signing involves hashing the message and encrypting the hash with
the sender's private key, providing integrity and non-repudiation
without confidentiality. Encrypting the message itself or using the
recipient's public key would add confidentiality, which is not desired.
HMAC with a shared secret does not provide non-repudiation because
either party could compute it.
Question 3
In a mandatory access control (MAC) system using the Bell-LaPadula model, a
subject with Top Secret clearance and no need-to-know requests read access to
a Secret document in a compartment for which the subject lacks authorization.
What is the correct outcome?
A. Access is granted because the subject's clearance dominates the
document classification.
B. Access is denied because the subject lacks the required compartment
authorization.
C. Access is granted under the *-property if the subject writes to the
document.
D. Access is denied because the simple security property prohibits
reading lower classifications.
Correct Answer: B - Access is denied because the subject lacks
the required compartment authorization.
RATIONALE
The Bell-LaPadula model enforces need-to-know through
compartments; clearance alone does not grant access without
compartment authorization. The simple security property permits
reading at or below clearance, but compartment restrictions are
independent. The *-property governs write-down, not this read
request.
Page 3
, Question 4
A hospital network is segmented into VLANs for medical devices,
administrative staff, and guest Wi-Fi. A medical device vendor requests remote
access for maintenance. Which control combination best enforces least
privilege and defense in depth?
A. Grant vendor VPN access to the medical device VLAN with full
subnet reachability.
B. Provide a jump host with MFA, session recording, and time-bound
access to specific device IPs.
C. Allow vendor access via the guest Wi-Fi with network address
translation.
D. Issue the vendor a domain administrator account with just-in-time
activation.
Correct Answer: B - Provide a jump host with MFA, session
recording, and time-bound access to specific device IPs.
RATIONALE
A jump host with MFA, session recording, and time-bound access
enforces least privilege, accountability, and defense in depth. Direct
VPN access to the entire VLAN violates least privilege. Guest Wi-Fi
and domain admin accounts introduce unacceptable risk and lack
granular control.
Question 5
During incident response, a forensic analyst must preserve volatile evidence on
a running Linux server suspected of compromise. Which sequence best adheres
to order of volatility and legal admissibility?
A. Image the hard drive first, then capture memory to ensure
completeness.
B. Capture memory, network connections, and running processes, then
image the disk.
Page 4
An organization's risk assessment identifies a vulnerability with a CVSS base
score of 9.8, but the asset has no network exposure and requires physical
access with two-factor authentication. Which risk treatment decision best
reflects a quantitative risk analysis?
A. Immediately patch because CVSS 9.8 mandates emergency change
control.
B. Accept the residual risk if the annualized loss expectancy is below the
cost of mitigation.
C. Transfer the risk by purchasing cyber insurance regardless of exposure.
D. Avoid the risk by decommissioning the asset without further analysis.
Correct Answer: B - Accept the residual risk if the annualized
loss expectancy is below the cost of mitigation.
RATIONALE
Quantitative risk analysis compares annualized loss expectancy (ALE)
to the cost of controls; if mitigation cost exceeds ALE, acceptance is
rational. CVSS alone does not dictate treatment without considering
exploitability and asset value. Insurance transfer and decommissioning
require cost-benefit justification, not reflexive action.
Question 2
A security architect must ensure that a digital signature provides
non-repudiation and integrity but not confidentiality. Which cryptographic
primitive combination achieves this requirement most precisely?
A. Encrypt the message with the sender's private key, then hash the
ciphertext.
B. Hash the message, then encrypt the hash with the sender's private key.
C. Encrypt the message with the recipient's public key, then hash it.
D. Hash the message with a shared secret key and transmit the hash.
Correct Answer: B - Hash the message, then encrypt the hash
Page 2
,with the sender's private key.
RATIONALE
Signing involves hashing the message and encrypting the hash with
the sender's private key, providing integrity and non-repudiation
without confidentiality. Encrypting the message itself or using the
recipient's public key would add confidentiality, which is not desired.
HMAC with a shared secret does not provide non-repudiation because
either party could compute it.
Question 3
In a mandatory access control (MAC) system using the Bell-LaPadula model, a
subject with Top Secret clearance and no need-to-know requests read access to
a Secret document in a compartment for which the subject lacks authorization.
What is the correct outcome?
A. Access is granted because the subject's clearance dominates the
document classification.
B. Access is denied because the subject lacks the required compartment
authorization.
C. Access is granted under the *-property if the subject writes to the
document.
D. Access is denied because the simple security property prohibits
reading lower classifications.
Correct Answer: B - Access is denied because the subject lacks
the required compartment authorization.
RATIONALE
The Bell-LaPadula model enforces need-to-know through
compartments; clearance alone does not grant access without
compartment authorization. The simple security property permits
reading at or below clearance, but compartment restrictions are
independent. The *-property governs write-down, not this read
request.
Page 3
, Question 4
A hospital network is segmented into VLANs for medical devices,
administrative staff, and guest Wi-Fi. A medical device vendor requests remote
access for maintenance. Which control combination best enforces least
privilege and defense in depth?
A. Grant vendor VPN access to the medical device VLAN with full
subnet reachability.
B. Provide a jump host with MFA, session recording, and time-bound
access to specific device IPs.
C. Allow vendor access via the guest Wi-Fi with network address
translation.
D. Issue the vendor a domain administrator account with just-in-time
activation.
Correct Answer: B - Provide a jump host with MFA, session
recording, and time-bound access to specific device IPs.
RATIONALE
A jump host with MFA, session recording, and time-bound access
enforces least privilege, accountability, and defense in depth. Direct
VPN access to the entire VLAN violates least privilege. Guest Wi-Fi
and domain admin accounts introduce unacceptable risk and lack
granular control.
Question 5
During incident response, a forensic analyst must preserve volatile evidence on
a running Linux server suspected of compromise. Which sequence best adheres
to order of volatility and legal admissibility?
A. Image the hard drive first, then capture memory to ensure
completeness.
B. Capture memory, network connections, and running processes, then
image the disk.
Page 4
