CCST - Cisco Certified Support Technician Vulnerability Assessment Concepts Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A security technician runs a vulnerability scan that logs into a Windows server using provided credentials to check for missing security patches and insecure registry settings. What type of scan is being performed?
- Intrusive scan
- Unauthenticated scan
- Authenticated scan (Correct answer)
- Penetration test
Correct answer: Authenticated scan
An authenticated (or credentialed) scan uses valid user credentials to log into a target system. This provides deeper visibility into the system's configuration, patch levels, and software, resulting in a more comprehensive and accurate vulnerability assessment from an insider's perspective.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the primary goal of a vulnerability assessment?
- To actively exploit weaknesses to determine the potential damage an attacker could cause.
- To identify, classify, and prioritize potential security weaknesses in systems and networks. (Correct answer)
- To simulate a real-world, multi-step attack against an organization's defenses.
- To respond to and contain an active security breach in real-time.
Correct answer: To identify, classify, and prioritize potential security weaknesses in systems and networks.
The core purpose of a vulnerability assessment is to systematically scan systems, applications, and networks to identify potential security vulnerabilities. The process then involves classifying these findings and prioritizing them for remediation, typically before they can be exploited by an attacker.
Question 3: A security analyst needs to assess the potential vulnerabilities of a public-facing web server without risking any disruption to its operation. Which type of vulnerability scan is most appropriate for this task?
- Intrusive scan
- Credentialed scan
- Non-intrusive scan (Correct answer)
- Compliance scan
Correct answer: Non-intrusive scan
A non-intrusive scan identifies vulnerabilities by analyzing system configurations, banners, and other available information without attempting to actively exploit them. This approach is safer for production systems as it avoids causing potential downtime or data corruption that an intrusive scan might cause.
Question 4: What is the primary function of the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS)?
- To provide a unique identifier (ID number) for each publicly known vulnerability.
- To automatically patch and remediate identified software vulnerabilities.
- To offer a standardized framework for rating the severity of security vulnerabilities. (Correct answer)
- To define the legal and regulatory compliance requirements for data protection.
Correct answer: To offer a standardized framework for rating the severity of security vulnerabilities.
CVSS is an open industry standard used to convey the severity of a vulnerability. It provides a numerical score (from 0.0 to 10.0) based on a vulnerability's intrinsic characteristics, helping security teams prioritize their response and remediation efforts.
Question 5: A junior support technician is asked to explain the difference between a vulnerability assessment and a penetration test. Which statement would be the most accurate explanation?
- They are the same process; the terms are used interchangeably in the industry.
- A vulnerability assessment is manual, while a penetration test is fully automated.
- A vulnerability assessment finds weaknesses, while a penetration test actively tries to exploit them. (Correct answer)
- A penetration test is performed first to find vulnerabilities, which are then assessed.
Correct answer: A vulnerability assessment finds weaknesses, while a penetration test actively tries to exploit them.
The key difference is in the approach. A vulnerability assessment is a broad, often automated process that scans for and lists potential weaknesses. A penetration test is a more focused, hands-on process that goes a step further by attempting to actively exploit identified vulnerabilities to determine the real-world impact.
Question 6: In the vulnerability management lifecycle, what is the critical step that follows the initial discovery and assessment of vulnerabilities?
- Reporting
- Verification
- Remediation
- Prioritization (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Prioritization
After identifying vulnerabilities, the next logical and critical step is to prioritize them. Not all vulnerabilities pose the same level of risk. Prioritization involves using factors like CVSS scores, asset criticality, and threat intelligence to determine which weaknesses should be fixed first, ensuring that the most critical issues are addressed promptly.
CCST - Cisco Certified Support Technician Vulnerability Assessment Concepts Questions and Answers 1
A security technician runs a vulnerability scan that logs into a Windows server using provided credentials to check for missing security patches and insecure registry settings.
What type of scan is being performed?