ISC2 CISSP Practice Question

The correct answer is to identify all potential paths an attacker might use to gain unauthorized access. Attack surface analysis is the process of systematically identifying and documenting all potential entry points and exposure areas in an application that could be exploited. This includes APIs, user interfaces, services, and any other vectors that are accessible. The primary goal is to create a comprehensive map of these potential attack paths to understand the overall risk exposure and inform the security strategy.

Calculating the total lines of code is a metric for code size and complexity, not a direct goal of attack surface analysis. While a larger codebase might correlate with a larger attack surface, counting lines of code does not identify specific entry points or vulnerabilities.

Estimating the time required for penetration testing is a secondary benefit, not the primary purpose. The results of an attack surface analysis are used to define the scope for penetration tests, which helps in estimating the time and resources required, but the analysis itself is focused on identification, not scheduling.

Determining which components should be tested first is also a secondary outcome. Prioritizing security testing is a crucial activity that is informed by the findings of an attack surface analysis (e.g., focusing on high-risk entry points), but the primary purpose of the analysis is the comprehensive identification of all potential attack paths, not just creating a testing schedule.