Cissp Drill Kits

By Author: Peter Baumann
Total Articles: 19
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Question: 1

What is the main concern with single sign-on?

A. Maximum unauthorized access would be possible if a password is disclosed.
B. The security administrator's workload would increase.
C. The users' password would be too hard to remember.
D. User access rights would be increased.

Answer: A

Explanation:
A major concern with Single Sign-On (SSO) is that if a user's ID and password are compromised, the intruder would have access to all the systems that the user was authorized for.
The following answers are incorrect:
The security administrator's workload would increase. Is incorrect because the security administrator's workload would decrease and not increase. The admin would not be responsible for maintaining multiple user accounts just the one.
The users' password would be too hard to remember. Is incorrect because the users would have less passwords to remember.
User access rights would be increased. Is incorrect because the user access rights would not be any different than if they had to log into systems manually.

Question: ...
... 2

Who developed one of the first mathematical models of a multilevel-security computer system?

A. Diffie and Hellman.
B. Clark and Wilson.
C. Bell and LaPadula.
D. Gasser and Lipner.

Answer: C

Explanation:
In 1973 Bell and LaPadula created the first mathematical model of a multi-level security system.
The following answers are incorrect:
Diffie and Hellman. This is incorrect because Diffie and Hellman was involved with cryptography.
Clark and Wilson. This is incorrect because Bell and LaPadula was the first model. The Clark-Wilson model came later, 1987
Gasser and Lipner. This is incorrect, it is a distractor. Bell and LaPadula was the first model

Question: 3

Which of the following attacks could capture network user passwords?

A. Data diddling
B. Sniffing
C. IP Spoofing
D. Smurfing

Answer: B

Explanation:
A network sniffer captures a copy every packet that traverses the network segment the sniffer is connect to.
Sniffers are typically devices that can collect information from a communication medium, such as a network. These devices can range from specialized equipment to basic workstations with customized software.
A sniffer can collect information about most, if not all, attributes of the communication. The most common method of sniffing is to plug a sniffer into an existing network device like a hub or switch. A hub (which is designed to relay all traffic passing through it to all of its ports) will automatically begin sending all the traffic on that network segment to the sniffing device. On the other hand, a switch (which is designed to limit what traffic gets sent to which port) will have to be specially configured to send all traffic to the port where the sniffer is plugged in.
Another method for sniffing is to use a network tap—a device that literally splits a network transmission into two identical streams; one going to the original network destination and the other going to the sniffing device. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages, including cost, feasibility, and the desire to maintain the secrecy of the sniffing activity.
The packets captured by sniffer are decoded and then displayed by the sniffer. Therfore, if the username/password are contained in a packet or packets traversing the segment the sniffer is connected to, it will capture and display that information (and any other information on that segment it can see).
Of course, if the information is encrypted via a VPN, SSL, TLS, or similar technology, the information is still captured and displayed, but it is in an unreadable format.
The following answers are incorrect:
Data diddling involves changing data before, as it is enterred into a computer, or after it is extracted.
Spoofing is forging an address and inserting it into a packet to disguise the origin of the communication - or causing a system to respond to the wrong address.
Smurfing would refer to the smurf attack, where an attacker sends spoofed packets to the broadcast address on a gateway in order to cause a denial of service.
The following reference(s) were/was used to create this question:
CISA Review
manual 2014 Page number 321
Official ISC2 Guide to the CISSP 3rd edition Page Number 153

Question: 4
Which of the following would constitute the best example of a password to use for access to a system by a network administrator?

A. holiday
B. Christmas12
C. Jenny
D. GyN19Za!

Answer: D

Explanation:
GyN19Za! would be the best answer because it contains a mixture of upper and lower case characters, alphabetic and numeric characters, and a special character making it less vulnerable to password attacks.
All of the other answers are incorrect because they are vulnerable to brute force or dictionary attacks. Passwords should not be common words or names. The addition of a number to the end of a common word only marginally strengthens it because a common password attack would also check combinations of words:
Christmas23
Christmas123 etc...

Question: 5

What physical characteristic does a retinal scan biometric device measure?

A. The amount of light reaching the retina
B. The amount of light reflected by the retina
C. The pattern of light receptors at the back of the eye
D. The pattern of blood vessels at the back of the eye

Answer: D

Explanation:
The retina, a thin nerve (1/50th of an inch) on the back of the eye, is the part of the eye which senses light and transmits impulses through the optic nerve to the brain - the equivalent of film in a camera. Blood vessels used for biometric identification are located along the neural retina, the outermost of retina's four cell layers.
The following answers are incorrect:
The amount of light reaching the retina
The amount of light reaching the retina is not used in the biometric scan of the retina.
The amount of light reflected by the retina
The amount of light reflected by the retina is not used in the biometric scan of the retina.
The pattern of light receptors at the back of the eye
This is a distractor
The following reference(s) were/was used to create this question:
Reference:
Retina Scan Technology.
ISC2 Official Guide to the CBK, 2007 (Page 161)

Question: 6
The Computer Security Policy Model the Orange Book is based on is which of the following?

A. Bell-LaPadula
B. Data Encryption Standard
C. Kerberos
D. Tempest

Answer: A

Explanation:
The Computer Security Policy Model Orange Book is based is the Bell-LaPadula Model. Orange Book Glossary.
The Data Encryption Standard (DES) is a cryptographic algorithm. National Information Security Glossary.
TEMPEST is related to limiting the electromagnetic emanations from electronic equipment.
Reference: U.S. Department of Defense, Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (Orange Book), DOD 520028-STD. December 1985 (also available here).

Question: 7

The end result of implementing the principle of least privilege means which of the following?

A. Users would get access to only the info for which they have a need to know
B. Users can access all systems.
C. Users get new privileges added when they change positions.
D. Authorization creep.

Answer: A

Explanation:
The principle of least privilege refers to allowing users to have only the access they need and not anything more. Thus, certain users may have no need to access any of the files on specific systems.
The following answers are incorrect:
Users can access all systems. Although the principle of least privilege limits what access and systems users have authorization to, not all users would have a need to know to access all of the systems. The best answer is still Users would get access to only the info for which they have a need to know as some of the users may not have a need to access a system.
Users get new privileges when they change positions. Although true that a user may indeed require new privileges, this is not a given fact and in actuality a user may require less privileges for a new position. The principle of least privilege would require that the rights required for the position be closely evaluated and where possible rights revoked.
Authorization creep. Authorization creep occurs when users are given additional rights with new positions and responsibilities. The principle of least privilege should actually prevent authorization creep.
The following reference(s) were/was used to create this question:
ISC2 OIG
2007 p.101,123
Shon Harris AIO v3 p148, 902-903

Question: 8
Which of the following is the most reliable authentication method for remote access?

A. Variable callback system
B. Synchronous token
C. Fixed callback system
D. Combination of callback and caller ID

Answer: B

Explanation:
A Synchronous token generates a one-time password that is only valid for a short period of time. Once the password is used it is no longer valid, and it expires if not entered in the acceptable time frame.
The following answers are incorrect:
Variable callback system. Although variable callback systems are more flexible than fixed callback systems, the system assumes the identity of the individual unless two-factor authentication is also implemented. By itself, this method might allow an attacker access as a trusted user.
Fixed callback system. Authentication provides assurance that someone or something is who or what he/it is supposed to be. Callback systems authenticate a person, but anyone can pretend to be that person. They are tied to a specific place and phone number, which can be spoofed by implementing call-forwarding.
Combination of callback and Caller ID. The caller ID and callback functionality provides greater confidence and auditability of the caller's identity. By disconnecting and calling back only authorized phone numbers, the system has a greater confidence in the location of the call. However, unless combined with strong authentication, any individual at the location could obtain access.
The following reference(s) were/was used to create this question:
Shon Harris
AIO v3 p. 140, 548
ISC2 OIG 2007 p. 152-153, 126-127

Question: 9
Which of the following is true of two-factor authentication?

A. It uses the RSA public-key signature based on integers with large prime factors.
B. It requires two measurements of hand geometry.
C. It does not use single sign-on technology.
D. It relies on two independent proofs of identity.

Answer: D

Explanation:
It relies on two independent proofs of identity. Two-factor authentication refers to using two independent proofs of identity, such as something the user has (e.g. a token card) and something the user knows (a password). Two-factor authentication may be used with single sign-on.
The following answers are incorrect: It requires two measurements of hand geometry. Measuring hand geometry twice does not yield two independent proofs.
It uses the RSA public-key signature based on integers with large prime factors. RSA encryption uses integers with exactly two prime factors, but the term "two-factor authentication" is not used in that context.
It does not use single sign-on technology. This is a detractor.
The following reference(s) were/was used to create this question:
Shon Harris
AIO v.3 p.129
ISC2 OIG, 2007 p. 126

Question: 10
The primary service provided by Kerberos is which of the following?

A. non-repudiation
B. confidentiality
C. authentication
D. authorization

Answer: C

Explanation:
non-repudiation. Since Kerberos deals primarily with symmetric cryptography, it does not help with non-repudiation.
confidentiality. Once the client is authenticated by Kerberos and obtains its session key and ticket, it may use them to assure confidentiality of its communication with a server; however, that is not a Kerberos service as such.
authorization. Although Kerberos tickets may include some authorization information, the meaning of the authorization fields is not standardized in the Kerberos specifications, and authorization is not a primary Kerberos service.
The following reference(s) were/was used to create this question:
ISC2 OIG
,2007 p. 179-184
Shon Harris AIO v.3 152-155