INTRO TO CYBERSECURITY EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 100% CORRECT (UPDATED TO
2026)
, Security Policy - what are we trying to protect? - ANSWER Confidentiality, Integrity,
Availability, Privacy, Authenticity
Threat Model - who are the attackers? - ANSWER Their motives, capabilities, level of
access
Risk assessment - what would a breach cost us? - ANSWER Direct costs, Indirect
costs, How likely are costs
Logic Bomb - ANSWER Has a payload (action to perform) and a trigger (boolean
condition)
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: possibly
Trojan horse - ANSWER Looks like a valid program - has a malicious purpose
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: yes
Back door - ANSWER Any mechanism that allows bypassing of normal security checks
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: possibly
Virus - ANSWER Code that modifies an executable program file and inserts itself into it
(defining feature), often has destructive payload, does not propagate using a network,
but infected files can be downloaded or emailed by a network
self rep: yes, pop growth: positive; parasitic: yes
Worm - ANSWER Standalone program that propagates via a network, does not modify
an existing binary file
self rep: yes, pop growth: positive, parasitic: no
Rabbit - ANSWER Rapidly reproducing program, consumes all of the available
computer resources, leaves lots of traces, doesn't accomplish much
self rep: yes, pop growth: positive, parasitic: no
Spyware - ANSWER Software that collects info from a computer, transmits to another
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: no
Adware - ANSWER Gathers info no user, but more market/marketing focused
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: no
Challenges in US cybersecurity policy - ANSWER Lack of congressional tech savvy,
rapid change in the field, slow gov't response, well funded adversaries, state's rights, us
AND ANSWERS 100% CORRECT (UPDATED TO
2026)
, Security Policy - what are we trying to protect? - ANSWER Confidentiality, Integrity,
Availability, Privacy, Authenticity
Threat Model - who are the attackers? - ANSWER Their motives, capabilities, level of
access
Risk assessment - what would a breach cost us? - ANSWER Direct costs, Indirect
costs, How likely are costs
Logic Bomb - ANSWER Has a payload (action to perform) and a trigger (boolean
condition)
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: possibly
Trojan horse - ANSWER Looks like a valid program - has a malicious purpose
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: yes
Back door - ANSWER Any mechanism that allows bypassing of normal security checks
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: possibly
Virus - ANSWER Code that modifies an executable program file and inserts itself into it
(defining feature), often has destructive payload, does not propagate using a network,
but infected files can be downloaded or emailed by a network
self rep: yes, pop growth: positive; parasitic: yes
Worm - ANSWER Standalone program that propagates via a network, does not modify
an existing binary file
self rep: yes, pop growth: positive, parasitic: no
Rabbit - ANSWER Rapidly reproducing program, consumes all of the available
computer resources, leaves lots of traces, doesn't accomplish much
self rep: yes, pop growth: positive, parasitic: no
Spyware - ANSWER Software that collects info from a computer, transmits to another
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: no
Adware - ANSWER Gathers info no user, but more market/marketing focused
self rep: no, pop growth: 0, parasitic: no
Challenges in US cybersecurity policy - ANSWER Lack of congressional tech savvy,
rapid change in the field, slow gov't response, well funded adversaries, state's rights, us
