SANS Security's Foundation Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• What is the purpose of a backup strategy in cybersecurity?
• Which of the following best describes "availability" in the context of information security?
• In incident response, what does containment refer to?
• How is "malware as a service" best described?
• What is a key function of detection capabilities in a risk management strategy?
• What is the definition of malware?
• Which of the following is considered NOT an acceptable form of risk management?
• In information security, what does "logging" refer to?
• Which standard is commonly associated with the development of an ISMS?
• What does TLS stand for, and what is its purpose?
• Which of the following is a core function of an Intrusion Detection System?
• What is the main goal of cybersecurity policies?
• What is the primary purpose of risk transference?
• What is the role of a security operations center (SOC)?
• In cybersecurity, what does "zero-day" refer to?
• What aspect of information security does "Integrity" involve?
• What is the role of a security procedure?
• What is the most prevalent form of access control in use today?
• What is the significance of a security policy in an organization?
• What role does feedback play in fostering accountability?
• Which control type focuses on preventing unauthorized access through authentication?
• What does RBAC stand for in access control systems?
• Which framework is commonly used for guiding incident response?
• What is the principle of "segregation of duties" aimed at preventing?
• Which component of AAA focuses on validating user privileges?
• In a corporate structure, who is responsible for compliance with security policies?
• What is defined as a security breach?
• What type of assessment focuses on financial implications of risks?
• What is the formula used to calculate Single Loss Expectancy?
• What is the primary goal of implementing permissions in a technical security setting?
• What action can be taken to improve accountability within a group?
• What does SSL/TLS primarily provide?
• What is the purpose of risk assessment in security management?
• What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative risk analysis?
• What is the main function of intrusion detection systems (IDS)?
• In a workplace setting, what is the consequence of a lack of accountability?
• What is a significant characteristic of a Denial of Service (DoS) attack?
• What key benefit does endpoint security provide?
• What does the threat hunting process involve?
• Which of the following is NOT a common authentication factor?
• What is the purpose of patch management?
• When the Recycle Bin is emptied in Windows, what is the result?
• What is the primary role of antivirus software?
• Who typically has ultimate responsibility for security within an organization?
• What is one of the main purposes of implementing security policies?
• What does AAA stand for in the context of security?
• How can leaders foster accountability among team members?
• What does the term "residual risk" refer to?
• How does accountability impact team dynamics?
• What does risk mitigation aim to do?
• Which vulnerability does endpoint security address?
• What is essential for assessing risks that involves both quantitative and qualitative measures?
• What personal quality is essential for accountability?
• What is the role of DNS in network security?
• Which approach is primarily used to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information?
• Which security measure is effective in preventing unauthorized data access?
• Which of the following activities is associated with the response phase of incident management?
• Which type of attack involves overwhelming a service with traffic to render it unavailable?
• What is the function of a vulnerability scanner?
• Which statement reflects a person who demonstrates accountability?
• What type of software is designed to exploit or harm systems?
• Define "social engineering" tactics in cybersecurity.
• What is a logic bomb primarily designed to do?
• In risk management, what does the term "residual risk" refer to?
• Which statement best describes a cyber incident?
• An authentication system that requires a username, password, and PIN is known as what?
• What is the purpose of network segmentation?
• Which types of controls aim to detect security breaches?
• Which of the following is an example of a technical control?
• What is the main function of a Certificate Authority (CA)?
• Which of the following defines VPN?
• What is the purpose of audits in security management?
• What is the title of the individual primarily responsible for the management and oversight of data?
• What does VPN stand for, and what is its primary function?
• Which type of authentication includes both something you have and something you know?
• What does the term "Exposure Factor" refer to?
• What is a key benefit of implementing an Information Security Management System (ISMS)?
• What does "something you have" authentication typically refer to?
• Which role is accountable for implementing data controls?
• What is the concept of job rotation particularly applied to?
• How does a virus differ from a worm in cybersecurity?
• What does a security policy provide to an organization?
• What defines phishing?
• Which access control model is based on the roles individuals have within an organization?
• Why is encryption vital in managing sensitive data?
• How can job rotation be beneficial for an organization?
• Which process is crucial for legal investigations involving electronically stored information?
• What does the acronym IDS stand for?
• What is the primary goal of a security awareness program?
• How does symmetric encryption differ from asymmetric encryption?
• In terms of security, what does authentication aim to achieve?
• What does maximum password aging refer to?
• What does dual control ensure in data access?
• What does "white-hat" hacking refer to?
• In the context of information security, what does integrity refer to?
• What is the purpose of a firewall in a technical security context?
• What does the term "sandboxing" refer to?
• What is the process of verifying identity called?
• What is the role of awareness in administrative security policies?
• Which of the following best describes technical controls?
• What does the process of logging involve in a security context?
• What does an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) typically include?
• What type of authentication requires you to answer a previously asked question?
• What role does risk assessment play in information security?
• What is the primary function of a firewall?
• What is endpoint security?
• What does the term "vulnerability" mean in cybersecurity?
• What is a critical aspect of maintaining data integrity?
• What is a common consequence of data breaches?
• Which method of Risk Assessment evaluates severity and likelihood?
• What is a primary consequence of a data breach for an organization?
• What does digital forensics involve?
• Why are security baselines important for organizations?
• What does the concept of separation of duties ensure within an organization?
• What role does a Data Custodian primarily serve in an organization?
• What does SSL stand for?
• What is one of the primary roles of auditing in information security?
• Which practice can help mitigate phishing attacks?
• What is a primary threat associated with unpatched software?
• What is a common feature of most password managers?
• What type of security control includes firewalls and antivirus software?
• What does electronic discovery (e-discovery) entail?
• What does GDPR stand for?
• What is the purpose of two-factor authentication (2FA)?
• Why is an Acceptable Use Policy important for an organization?
• What does risk acceptance imply in a business context?
• What technique is used to ensure data integrity in transit?
• In legal contexts, what type of evidence is computer-generated data considered until ruled otherwise by a judge?
• What does the principle of least privilege entail?
• What is the primary reason employees resist accountability?
• What does the concept of "defense in depth" refer to?
• Which of the following is an example of accountability in action?
• What is the primary function of encryption?
• What should individuals focus on to enhance their accountability?
• Which practice involves simulating real-world attacks to identify vulnerabilities?
• True or False: Minimum password aging must always be longer than maximum password aging.
• What characterizes an advanced persistent threat (APT)?
• What does the term "malware signature" refer to?
• What does symmetric encryption rely on?
• A firewall operates based on what kind of parameters?
• Which of the following best describes a security policy?
• What is the primary purpose of access control?
• What is the primary function of authentication in security?
• Who determines whether a risk is acceptable within an organization?
• What does a threat model assess?
• What type of security controls are firewalls considered?
• What is a brute-force attack?
• What does the principle of “non-repudiation” ensure?
• What is an acceptable use policy?
• Which approach to Risk Assessment primarily focuses on monetary values?
• Which of the following describes social engineering?
• What is the role of encryption in data management?
• What is the purpose of a virus signature in antivirus software?
• What must all awareness training be?
• Which of the following is NOT considered a control type in security management?
• What is the primary purpose of endpoint security?
• What are the two main types of encryption?
• Which item is considered a part of physical security measures?
• What does the acronym DDoS stand for?
• What is the expected outcome of effective risk assessment?
• What is the main goal of a penetration test?
• What are the three categories of control areas in information security?
• Which type of malware is characterized by its ability to remain hidden for long periods?
• During disaster recovery planning, which element is crucial for minimizing downtime?
• What type of attack seeks to make a service unavailable to users?
• Mandatory vacations are used to help prevent which of the following?
• What is the primary purpose of the CIA triad in information security?
• How does a digital certificate function?
• What type of control area deals with authentication in security?
• One-time-passwords are primarily designed to combat which type of attack?
• In security, what does the term "exploit" refer to?
• Which statement best describes the operational model of "malware as a service"?
• What is involved in the process of risk assessment?
• The principal objective of Authentication is to?
• Which of the following is a primary method of risk deterrence?
• What is the main objective of security awareness training?
• What does phishing typically involve?
• What defines management intent in a security context?
• What are the three core elements of the CIA triad in information security?
• What does the concept of "defense in depth" entail?
• What is the primary motivation behind most cyber threats today?
• What is the primary goal of penetration testing?
• What does accountability primarily relate to in a professional context?
• What does two-factor authentication require?
• What is a significant benefit of sandboxing?
• What does encryption primarily aim to achieve?
• What is threat hunting?
• What is the role of a security operations center (SOC)?
• What is the primary goal of data loss prevention (DLP)?
• Which of the following best describes the concept of risk mitigation?
• What is the aim of conducting audits during mandatory vacations?
• Which security practice minimizes user access to only what is necessary?
• What is a firewall primarily used for?
• What primary risk does a password manager help mitigate?
• What is the primary purpose of an Information Security Management System (ISMS)?
• What is the primary purpose of an incident response plan?
• What is the principle of least privilege?
• What is "brute force" in the context of password attacks?
• What is the significance of a security baseline?
• What is a common technique for protecting data at rest?
• What is one benefit of establishing a culture of accountability in an organization?
• What is one of the first steps in effective disaster recovery planning?
• What does CIA stand for in the context of information security?
• Which policy dictates the proper use of company resources?
• What does "Single Loss Expectancy" estimate?
• Which Risk Strategy would involve measures to decrease the severity of potential losses?
• Which of the following is a main objective of disaster recovery planning?
• Which type of security control is primarily focused on responding to incidents?
• What is malware primarily designed to do?
• What type of data does TLS primarily protect?
• What is an access control list (ACL)?
• What is the purpose of a data retention policy?
• What does data classification involve?
• Why is tracking activity important in accountability?
• A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is considered what type of legal document if executed properly?
• What is social engineering in the context of cybersecurity?
• What happens to a deleted file in a Windows computer?
• What does a preventive control aim to do?
• How do security patches differ from regular software updates?
• Which characteristic undermines accountability within a team?
• What type of software is John the Ripper?
• What is a MAC address?
• What is usually assessed during a security audit?
• What is a risk of insufficient security training for employees?
• Which of the following is an example of an open-source security tool?
• What kind of data does a digital certificate typically contain?
• What is the enforcement of policies through technical means known as?
• What is another term commonly used for two-factor authentication?
• How does ransomware operate?
• What does an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) do?
• What do firewalls primarily protect against?
• What does social engineering often exploit to gain unauthorized access?
• What does the principle of dual control aim to prevent?
• How is a security incident defined?
• What is the purpose of incident response planning?
• What characterizes a DDoS attack?
• What is the principle behind the "Encryption at Rest" strategy?
• What does the term "due care" imply for senior management?
• Which Risk Strategy involves the purchase of insurance to protect against potential losses?
• Why is regular software patching considered important?
• What is the primary function of a password manager?
• Which of the following best describes an aspect of personal accountability?
• What does the acronym SIEM stand for in security?
• What does the term "attack surface" refer to in cybersecurity?
• What is the difference between vulnerability and threat in information security?
• What does authorization determine within a security framework?
• What is the Risk Strategy that involves stopping risky business practices?
• What is the primary goal of incident response?
• What is the main function of security policies in an organization?
• What is purpose of a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)?
• Which formula is used to calculate Annual Loss Expectancy?
• What is the function of a vulnerability scanner?
• Why is two-factor authentication beneficial?
• Which of the following actions would constitute risk avoidance?
• What does the acronym SIEM stand for?
• What is the main difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?
• Which of the following is NOT a component of physical security?