CREST CPSA
CREST CPSA Study Notes 2025
What are the 5 client benefits of pen testing? -Correct Answer ✔1. Enhancement of
management - providing information about threats.
2. Avoid fines - keeping client compliant.
3. Increase company reputation - assures customers.
4. Reduce likelihood of cyber attack - decreases risk.
5. Reduce likelihood of data breach - decreases risk.
When is a good time to pen test? -Correct Answer ✔1. New threats discovered
2. New infrastructure added to network
3. New system/software acquired
4. Office relocates
5. New policy set up
6. When compliance says you have to
What are the 7 steps to a pentest? -Correct Answer ✔1. Planning - setting up the scope
2. Reconnaissance - working out what they've got, in terms of IP addresses / OSINT etc...
3. Discovery - scanning of targets to find further information
4. Analysing information and risks - determining what to attack with what and if it's okay
to do so (based on scope)
5. Active intrusion attempts - trying to get in
6. Final analysis - defining what risks exist and what mitigations there are
7. Reporting - the output of the test, what's wrong and how can it be fixed
CREST CPSA
,CREST CPSA
What is Black box testing? -Correct Answer ✔No information about the systems being
tested. Best simulation of a threat actor.
What is White box testing? -Correct Answer ✔All the information about the systems.
Best simulation of an insider.
What is Grey box testing? -Correct Answer ✔Partial information about the systems. An
attacker that has discovered some prior knowledge.
What is the difference between Network/infrastructure testing and application testing? -
Correct Answer ✔Network is where the physical structure is tested, all about the
network. Whereas application is about the logical structure tested, all about the
application.
What is relevant about the Computer Misuse Act 1990? -Correct Answer ✔Section 1 -
Unauthorised access to computer material.
Section 2 - With intent to commit/facilitate further offense
Section 3 - Acts to impair computers
Intent to cause offence or recklessness is pertinent to pen testing.
How is the Human Rights act of 1998 relevant? -Correct Answer ✔Article 8 - the right to
respect private and family life / home / correspondence.
No interference by public authority on this unless absolutely necessary by law.
What is relevant about the Data protection act of 1998? -Correct Answer ✔Section 55 -
it's an offence to obtain unauthorised personal data. PII shall only be obtained for lawful
purposes and not further processed. Organisational / technical measures need to be in
place to protect against this.
CREST CPSA
,CREST CPSA
Don't keep anything for longer than necessary.
How did the police and justice act of 2006 change the computer misuse act? -Correct
Answer ✔Increased penalties. Made DOS illegal.
It's why we have testing consent forms.
What is PCI DSS about? -Correct Answer ✔Payment Card Industry Data Security
Standard. Minimum set of requirements around protecting card holder data.
What is NIS Directive & Regulations about? -Correct Answer ✔Network and Information
Systems. Legislations around improving security of critical infrastructure/services.
What is ISO 27001 all about? -Correct Answer ✔It's an international standard for
information security management.
What is the NHS DSP Toolkit? -Correct Answer ✔NHS Data Security and Protection
Toolkit is online self assessment tool for organisations in healthcare to benchmark
against National Data Guardian's (NDG) Standards.
Why is scoping important? -Correct Answer ✔To define what is out of scope and also
what needs to be done in the test.
Why are accurate timescales important? -Correct Answer ✔To identify the cost of the
test and book in time for on-site visits.
CREST CPSA
, CREST CPSA
What does resources planning entail? -Correct Answer ✔Ensuring appropriate testers
and QA is in place.
What are 4 risks associated with pen testing? -Correct Answer ✔1. Loss of data
2. Denial of service
3. Damage to hardware
4. Compromise of infrastructure/application
What are three ways organisations can mitigate risks of pentesting? -Correct Answer ✔1.
Business Continuity Plans
2. Regular backups
3. Ensuring testers are qualified
What are the 4 stages of pen test report writing? -Correct Answer ✔1. Planning
2. Collecting Information
3. First Draft
4. Review and Finalising
Why is keeping records and writing an accurate report important? -Correct Answer ✔To
ensure the client has clarity on the risks they face.
Why is IPv4 being replaced by IPv6? -Correct Answer ✔Unique addresses are running
out. 2^128 as opposed to 2^32.
In an IPv6 address, what does :: represent? -Correct Answer ✔Consecutive 0s.
CREST CPSA
CREST CPSA Study Notes 2025
What are the 5 client benefits of pen testing? -Correct Answer ✔1. Enhancement of
management - providing information about threats.
2. Avoid fines - keeping client compliant.
3. Increase company reputation - assures customers.
4. Reduce likelihood of cyber attack - decreases risk.
5. Reduce likelihood of data breach - decreases risk.
When is a good time to pen test? -Correct Answer ✔1. New threats discovered
2. New infrastructure added to network
3. New system/software acquired
4. Office relocates
5. New policy set up
6. When compliance says you have to
What are the 7 steps to a pentest? -Correct Answer ✔1. Planning - setting up the scope
2. Reconnaissance - working out what they've got, in terms of IP addresses / OSINT etc...
3. Discovery - scanning of targets to find further information
4. Analysing information and risks - determining what to attack with what and if it's okay
to do so (based on scope)
5. Active intrusion attempts - trying to get in
6. Final analysis - defining what risks exist and what mitigations there are
7. Reporting - the output of the test, what's wrong and how can it be fixed
CREST CPSA
,CREST CPSA
What is Black box testing? -Correct Answer ✔No information about the systems being
tested. Best simulation of a threat actor.
What is White box testing? -Correct Answer ✔All the information about the systems.
Best simulation of an insider.
What is Grey box testing? -Correct Answer ✔Partial information about the systems. An
attacker that has discovered some prior knowledge.
What is the difference between Network/infrastructure testing and application testing? -
Correct Answer ✔Network is where the physical structure is tested, all about the
network. Whereas application is about the logical structure tested, all about the
application.
What is relevant about the Computer Misuse Act 1990? -Correct Answer ✔Section 1 -
Unauthorised access to computer material.
Section 2 - With intent to commit/facilitate further offense
Section 3 - Acts to impair computers
Intent to cause offence or recklessness is pertinent to pen testing.
How is the Human Rights act of 1998 relevant? -Correct Answer ✔Article 8 - the right to
respect private and family life / home / correspondence.
No interference by public authority on this unless absolutely necessary by law.
What is relevant about the Data protection act of 1998? -Correct Answer ✔Section 55 -
it's an offence to obtain unauthorised personal data. PII shall only be obtained for lawful
purposes and not further processed. Organisational / technical measures need to be in
place to protect against this.
CREST CPSA
,CREST CPSA
Don't keep anything for longer than necessary.
How did the police and justice act of 2006 change the computer misuse act? -Correct
Answer ✔Increased penalties. Made DOS illegal.
It's why we have testing consent forms.
What is PCI DSS about? -Correct Answer ✔Payment Card Industry Data Security
Standard. Minimum set of requirements around protecting card holder data.
What is NIS Directive & Regulations about? -Correct Answer ✔Network and Information
Systems. Legislations around improving security of critical infrastructure/services.
What is ISO 27001 all about? -Correct Answer ✔It's an international standard for
information security management.
What is the NHS DSP Toolkit? -Correct Answer ✔NHS Data Security and Protection
Toolkit is online self assessment tool for organisations in healthcare to benchmark
against National Data Guardian's (NDG) Standards.
Why is scoping important? -Correct Answer ✔To define what is out of scope and also
what needs to be done in the test.
Why are accurate timescales important? -Correct Answer ✔To identify the cost of the
test and book in time for on-site visits.
CREST CPSA
, CREST CPSA
What does resources planning entail? -Correct Answer ✔Ensuring appropriate testers
and QA is in place.
What are 4 risks associated with pen testing? -Correct Answer ✔1. Loss of data
2. Denial of service
3. Damage to hardware
4. Compromise of infrastructure/application
What are three ways organisations can mitigate risks of pentesting? -Correct Answer ✔1.
Business Continuity Plans
2. Regular backups
3. Ensuring testers are qualified
What are the 4 stages of pen test report writing? -Correct Answer ✔1. Planning
2. Collecting Information
3. First Draft
4. Review and Finalising
Why is keeping records and writing an accurate report important? -Correct Answer ✔To
ensure the client has clarity on the risks they face.
Why is IPv4 being replaced by IPv6? -Correct Answer ✔Unique addresses are running
out. 2^128 as opposed to 2^32.
In an IPv6 address, what does :: represent? -Correct Answer ✔Consecutive 0s.
CREST CPSA
