SY0-401 Premium Bundle

SY0-401 Premium Bundle

CompTIA Security+ Certification Certification Exam

4.5 
(1080 ratings)
0 QuestionsPractice Tests
0 PDFPrint version
November 21, 2024Last update

CompTIA SY0-401 Free Practice Questions

Q1. Which of the following should be enabled in a laptop’s BIOS prior to full disk encryption? 

A. USB 

B. HSM 

C. RAID 

D. TPM 

Answer:

Explanation: 

Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a hardware-based encryption solution that is embedded in the system’s motherboard and is enabled or disable in BIOS. It helps with hash key generation and stores cryptographic keys, passwords, or certificates. 

Q2. A security technician has been asked to recommend an authentication mechanism that will allow users to authenticate using a password that will only be valid for a predefined time interval. Which of the following should the security technician recommend? 

A. CHAP 

B. TOTP 

C. HOTP 

D. PAP 

Answer:

Explanation: Time-based one-time password (TOTP) tokens are devices or applications that generate passwords at fixed time intervals. Therefore, the password will only be valid for a predefined time interval. 

Q3. A security administrator plans on replacing a critical business application in five years. Recently, there was a security flaw discovered in the application that will cause the IT department to manually re-enable user accounts each month at a cost of $2,000. Patching the application today would cost $140,000 and take two months to implement. Which of the following should the security administrator do in regards to the application? 

A. Avoid the risk to the user base allowing them to re-enable their own accounts 

B. Mitigate the risk by patching the application to increase security and saving money 

C. Transfer the risk replacing the application now instead of in five years 

D. Accept the risk and continue to enable the accounts each month saving money 

Answer:

Explanation: 

This is a risk acceptance measure that has to be implemented since the cost of patching would be too high compared to the cost to keep the system going as is. Risk acceptance is often the choice you must make when the cost of implementing any of the other four choices (i.e. risk deterrence, mitigation, transference or avoidance) exceeds the value of the harm that would occur if the risk came to fruition. 

Q4. Which of the following is the BEST way to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (XSRF) attacks? 

A. Check the referrer field in the HTTP header 

B. Disable Flash content 

C. Use only cookies for authentication 

D. Use only HTTPS URLs 

Answer:

Explanation: 

XSRF or cross-site request forgery applies to web applications and is an attack that exploits the web application’s trust of a user who known or is supposed to have been authenticated. This is accomplished by changing values in the HTTP header and even in the user’s cookie to falsify access. It can be prevented by embedding additional authentication data into requests that allows the web application to detect requests from unauthorized locations. Examples are synchronizer token patterns, cookie-to-header tokens, and checking the HTTP Referrer header and the HTTP Origin header. 

Q5. A security administrator has been tasked with setting up a new internal wireless network that must use end to end TLS. Which of the following may be used to meet this objective? 

A. WPA 

B. HTTPS 

C. WEP 

D. WPA 2 

Answer:

Explanation: 

Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) was intended to provide security that’s equivalent to that on a wired network, and it implements elements of the 802.11i standard. In April 2010, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced the inclusion of additional Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) types to its certification programs for WPA- and WPA2- Enterprise certification programs. EAP-TLS is included in this certification program. Note: Although WPA mandates the use of TKIP, WPA2 requires Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP). CCMP uses 128-bit AES encryption with a 48-bit initialization vector. With the larger initialization vector, it increases the difficulty in cracking and minimizes the risk of a replay attack. 

Q6. HOTSPOT 

The security administrator has installed a new firewall which implements an implicit DENY policy by default. Click on the firewall and configure it to allow ONLY the following communication. 

1. The Accounting workstation can ONLY access the web server on the public network over the default HTTPS port. The accounting workstation should not access other networks. 

2. The HR workstation should be restricted to communicate with the Financial server ONLY, over the default SCP port 

3. The Admin workstation should ONLY be able to access the servers on the secure network over the default TFTP port. 

Instructions: The firewall will process the rules in a top-down manner in order as a first match The port number must be typed in and only one port number can be entered per rule Type ANY for all ports. The original firewall configuration can be reset at any time by pressing the reset button. Once you have met the simulation requirements, click save and then Done to submit. 

Answer:  

Explanation: 

Implicit deny is the default security stance that says if you aren’t specifically granted access or privileges for a resource, you’re denied access by default. Rule #1 allows the Accounting workstation to ONLY access the web server on the public network over the default HTTPS port, which is TCP port 443. Rule #2 allows the HR workstation to ONLY communicate with the Financial server over the 

default SCP port, which is TCP Port 22 

Rule #3 & Rule #4 allow the Admin workstation to ONLY access the Financial and Purchasing 

servers located on the secure network over the default TFTP port, which is Port 69. 

References: 

Stewart, James Michael, CompTIA Security+ Review Guide, Sybex, Indianapolis, 2014, pp 26, 44. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TCP_and_UDP_port_numbers 

Q7. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is concerned with moving an application to a SaaS cloud provider. Which of the following can be implemented to provide for data confidentiality assurance during and after the migration to the cloud? 

A. HPM technology 

B. Full disk encryption 

C. DLP policy 

D. TPM technology 

Answer:

Explanation: 

Data loss prevention (DLP) systems monitor the contents of systems (workstations, servers, and networks) to make sure that key content is not deleted or removed. They also monitor who is using the data (looking for unauthorized access) and transmitting the data. The Software as a Service (SaaS) applications are remotely run over the Web and as such requires DLP monitoring. 

Q8. The Quality Assurance team is testing a new third party developed application. The Quality team does not have any experience with the application. Which of the following is the team performing? 

A. Grey box testing 

B. Black box testing 

C. Penetration testing 

D. White box testing 

Answer:

Explanation: 

Black-box testing is a method of software testing that examines the functionality of an application without peering into its internal structures or workings. This method of test can be applied to virtually every level of software testing: unit, integration, system and acceptance. It typically comprises most if not all higher level testing, but can also dominate unit testing as well. Specific knowledge of the application's code/internal structure and programming knowledge in general is not required. The tester is aware of what the software is supposed to do but is not aware of how it does it. For instance, the tester is aware that a particular input returns a certain, invariable output but is not aware of how the software produces the output in the first place. 

Q9. Which of the following provides the LEAST availability? 

A. RAID 0 

B. RAID 1 

C. RAID 3 

D. RAID 5 

Answer:

Explanation: 

RAID, or redundant array of independent disks (RAID). RAID allows your existing servers to have more than one hard drive so that if the main hard drive fails, the system keeps functioning. RAID 0 is disk striping. It uses multiple drives and maps them together as a single physical drive. This is done primarily for performance, not for fault tolerance. If any drive in a RAID 0 array fails, the entire logical drive becomes unusable. 

Q10. A security administrator has concerns about new types of media which allow for the mass distribution of personal comments to a select group of people. To mitigate the risks involved with this media, employees should receive training on which of the following? 

A. Peer to Peer 

B. Mobile devices 

C. Social networking 

D. Personally owned devices 

Answer:

Explanation: 

There many companies that allow full use of social media in the workplace, believing that the marketing opportunities it holds outweigh any loss in productivity. What they are unknowingly minimizing are the threats that exist. Rather than being all new threats, the social networking/media threats tend to fall in the categories of the same old tricks used elsewhere but in a new format. A tweet can be sent with a shortened URL so that it does not exceed the 140-character limit set by Twitter; unfortunately, the user has no idea what the shortened URL leads to. This makes training your employees regarding the risks social networking entails essential. 

Q11. A security administrator must implement a wireless encryption system to secure mobile devices’ communication. Some users have mobile devices which only support 56-bit encryption. Which of the following wireless encryption methods should be implemented? 

A. RC4 

B. AES 

C. MD5 

D. TKIP 

Answer:

Explanation: 

RC4 is popular with wireless and WEP/WPA encryption. It is a streaming cipher that works with key sizes between 40 and 2048 bits, and it is used in SSL and TLS. 

Q12. During a server audit, a security administrator does not notice abnormal activity. However, a network security analyst notices connections to unauthorized ports from outside the corporate network. Using specialized tools, the network security analyst also notices hidden processes running. Which of the following has MOST likely been installed on the server? 

A. SPIM 

B. Backdoor 

C. Logic bomb 

D. Rootkit 

Answer:

Explanation: 

A rootkit is a collection of tools (programs) that enable administrator-level access to a computer or computer network. Typically, a cracker installs a rootkit on a computer after first obtaining user-level access, either by exploiting a known vulnerability or cracking a password. Once the rootkit is installed, it allows the attacker to mask intrusion and gain root or privileged access to the computer and, possibly, other machines on the network. A rootkit may consist of spyware and other programs that: monitor traffic and keystrokes; create a "backdoor" into the system for the hacker's use; alter log files; attack other machines on the network; and alter existing system tools to escape detection. The presence of a rootkit on a network was first documented in the early 1990s. At that time, Sun and Linux operating systems were the primary targets for a hacker looking to install a rootkit. Today, rootkits are available for a number of operating systems, including Windows, and are increasingly difficult to detect on any network. 

Q13. Which of the following would satisfy wireless network implementation requirements to use mutual authentication and usernames and passwords? 

A. EAP-MD5 

B. WEP 

C. PEAP-MSCHAPv2 

D. EAP-TLS 

Answer:

Explanation: 

PEAP-MS-CHAP v2 is easier to deploy than EAP-TLS or PEAP-TLS because user authentication is accomplished via password-base credentials (user name and password) rather than digital certificates or smart cards. 

Q14. The BEST methods for a web developer to prevent the website application code from being vulnerable to cross-site request forgery (XSRF) are to: (Select TWO). 

A. Permit redirection to Internet-facing web URLs. 

B. Ensure all HTML tags are enclosed in angle brackets, e.g., ”<” and “>”. 

C. Validate and filter input on the server side and client side. 

D. Use a web proxy to pass website requests between the user and the application. 

E. Restrict and sanitize use of special characters in input and URLs. 

Answer: C,E 

Explanation: 

XSRF or cross-site request forgery applies to web applications and is an attack that exploits the web application’s trust of a user who known or is supposed to have been authenticated. This is often accomplished without the user’s knowledge. XSRF can be prevented by adding a randomization string (called a nonce) to each URL request and session establishment and checking the client HTTP request header referrer for spoofing. 

Q15. The fundamental information security principals include confidentiality, availability and which of the following? 

A. The ability to secure data against unauthorized disclosure to external sources 

B. The capacity of a system to resist unauthorized changes to stored information 

C. The confidence with which a system can attest to the identity of a user 

D. The characteristic of a system to provide uninterrupted service to authorized users 

Answer:

Explanation: Confidentiality, integrity, and availability, which make up the CIA triad, are the three most important concepts in security. In this instance, the answer describes the Integrity part of the CIA triad.