ICT Cybersecurity Threats and Mitigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of malware encrypts a victim's files and demands payment for the decryption key?
- Spyware
- Ransomware (Correct answer)
- Adware
- Rootkit
Correct answer: Ransomware
Ransomware encrypts the victim's data and extorts payment, typically in cryptocurrency, in exchange for the decryption key.
Question 2: What is a zero-day vulnerability?
- A flaw patched within 24 hours of discovery
- A vulnerability unknown to the software vendor with no patch available (Correct answer)
- A bug introduced on the first day of software deployment
- An exploit that only works for one day
Correct answer: A vulnerability unknown to the software vendor with no patch available
A zero-day vulnerability is a security flaw that is unknown to the vendor, meaning there are zero days of protection since no patch exists yet.
Question 3: A company receives an email appearing to be from their CEO requesting an urgent wire transfer. This is an example of what attack?
- Brute force attack
- Business Email Compromise (BEC) (Correct answer)
- SQL injection
- Cross-site scripting
Correct answer: Business Email Compromise (BEC)
Business Email Compromise (BEC) involves impersonating executives or trusted parties via email to trick employees into transferring funds or sensitive data.
Question 4: Which network security tool monitors traffic and generates alerts when suspicious activity is detected but does NOT block it?
- Firewall
- Intrusion Detection System (IDS) (Correct answer)
- Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
- Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Correct answer: Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
An IDS passively monitors network traffic and alerts administrators to suspicious activity, while an IPS actively blocks detected threats.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of network segmentation as a security control?
- To increase internet speed
- To limit lateral movement of attackers within a network (Correct answer)
- To reduce the number of required firewalls
- To simplify IP address management
Correct answer: To limit lateral movement of attackers within a network
Network segmentation divides a network into zones so that if an attacker breaches one segment, they cannot freely move to other sensitive areas.
Question 6: Which attack exploits trust relationships between websites to make authenticated users unknowingly submit malicious requests?
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
- Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) (Correct answer)
- SQL Injection
- Clickjacking
Correct answer: Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
CSRF tricks an authenticated user's browser into sending unauthorized requests to a site where they are already logged in, exploiting the site's trust in the user.
Question 7: What does the principle of 'defense in depth' mean in cybersecurity?
- Using the strongest possible single security control
- Layering multiple security controls so that if one fails, others remain (Correct answer)
- Focusing all resources on perimeter defense
- Encrypting data at every possible point
Correct answer: Layering multiple security controls so that if one fails, others remain
Defense in depth employs multiple overlapping security layers so that a failure or bypass of one control does not result in a complete compromise.
ICT Cybersecurity Threats and Mitigation 2
Which type of malware encrypts a victim's files and demands payment for the decryption key?