CompTIA Security+ Practice Test (SY0-701)

Hashing is the most appropriate method for storing passwords securely. It converts the password into a fixed-size string of characters that is difficult to reverse-engineer. In the event of a data breach, hashed passwords are not readily usable by attackers, unlike if they were stored in plaintext. Hashing is a one-way function, which is why it is suitable for password storage, as the original password cannot be easily retrieved from the hash during the authentication process or if the hash is compromised.

National considerations are critical because they involve adherence to laws, regulations, and guidelines that are specific to a country where an organization operates. Understanding and complying with these national directives is essential for legal operation and can affect many aspects of an organization's security program, including data protection, privacy, and incident response.

Incorporating security requirements during the procurement process ensures that the security controls are integrated into the design and contractual obligations, which is vital to mitigate risks from the outset. Waiting until a system or service is deployed to consider security could result in higher costs due to retroactive changes and potential exposure to threats that could have been avoided.

Automating the initial incident triage process allows incidents to be quickly categorized and prioritized based on predefined criteria, such as source, type, and severity. This rapid classification helps to ensure that higher severity incidents are dealt with promptly and reduces the manual effort needed by the incident response team, allowing them to focus on responding to incidents rather than initial data gathering and assessment. On the other hand, fully automating the decision-making process on how to handle an incident could be risky, as it may require human judgment and context that cannot be replicated by automation processes. Similarly, while automation can assist in gathering data for a post-incident report, generating it entirely without human review is not ideal as it lacks critical analysis and lessons learned. Finally, automated communication with the media would not be appropriate as it requires careful crafting by someone with public relations expertise to manage potential reputational damage.

An Information Security Policy (ISP) is the foundational, high-level document in a security governance structure. It outlines an organization's overall security posture, objectives, and responsibilities. The ISP serves as the authority that mandates the creation and implementation of other, more specific policies, standards, and plans, including the Incident Response Plan and Disaster Recovery Plan. The other options are all specific plans or policies that are typically created under the guidance and authority of the main Information Security Policy.

An owner is an individual or entity that has approved management responsibility for controlling the production, development, maintenance, use, and security of the assets. This includes ensuring appropriate access controls are in place and the integrity and security of the asset are maintained.

Risk transference is a strategy that involves shifting the financial consequences of a risk to a third party. Purchasing insurance is the most common example of risk transference, as it moves the potential financial loss from an incident to the insurance provider.

Pre-installed software that is not necessary for the user's activities-commonly called bloatware-can pose a security risk if it contains unpatched vulnerabilities. Because this software is often unmanaged, it can increase the device's attack surface. Attackers may exploit flaws in the unused software or its background services even if employees never actively launch the applications. Therefore, the main concern is the presence of potentially vulnerable code, not how frequently employees use the software.

The correct answer explains the distribution of assets, applications, and resources across multiple cloud service providers, which is the definition of a multi-cloud system. It allows organizations to leverage the strengths of different cloud providers to optimize performance, ensure redundancy, and potentially reduce costs.

While process isolation is the fundamental mechanism that prevents VM escape, it is not foolproof, as vulnerabilities in the hypervisor can still be exploited. A comprehensive, defense-in-depth strategy is the most effective approach. This includes keeping both the hypervisor and guest operating systems fully patched, using network segmentation to limit an attacker's reach, and applying the principle of least privilege through strict access controls. HIDS on guest VMs and data encryption are valuable security layers, but they do not directly prevent the hypervisor compromise that enables a VM escape.

A Downgrade attack is characterized by an attacker forcing a system to use a less secure protocol or state, thereby creating opportunities to exploit known vulnerabilities of the older systems or protocols. This makes the attack successful as the older versions generally lack the security features and protections found in newer versions. The incorrect options do not define an attack where the system is forced to use less secure protocols.

This type of penetration test is known as a black-box test. In this approach, the testers are given little to no prior information about the target system. For example, they are not provided with details like the web server type or access to the source code. Instead, the testers must perform reconnaissance to gather information and probe for vulnerabilities, simulating an attack from an external threat actor with no inside knowledge.

A logic bomb is malicious code designed to execute a harmful function when specific conditions are met, such as a particular date or the detection of unauthorized access. This differentiates it from other malware types like viruses or ransomware, which have different activation mechanisms and payloads.

Establishing a geographically separated hot site allows the institution to quickly switch operations to an alternative location if the main site is compromised due to a cyberattack. This strategy ensures continuous service availability by replicating critical systems and data in a separate location. Weekly backups secure data but do not prevent downtime during a site outage. Deploying an IDS (Intrusion Detection System) helps detect malicious activity but does not provide redundancy for service availability. Enforcing strict firewall policies enhances security measures but does not guarantee availability if the main site is disrupted.

Deploying configuration management tools allows the company to automate the enforcement of secure baselines across all servers. This ensures that the secure settings are applied consistently, and any deviations are automatically corrected. Manual review, while important, is not as effective or efficient for ensuring consistency across a large number of servers. Providing training to IT staff is useful for awareness but does not guarantee consistent application or enforcement of the secure baselines. Regularly scheduled security updates are critical for maintaining server security but do not ensure that all security settings align with the secure baseline.