Verifying Threat Existence and Bypassing Security Controls
Question
Which of the following would verify that a threat does exist and security controls can easily be bypassed without actively testing an application?
Answers
Explanations
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A. B. C. D.B.
A vulnerability scan is the automated process of proactively identifying security vulnerabilities of computing systems in a network in order to determine if and where a system can be exploited and/or threatened.
While public servers are important for communication and data transfer over the Internet, they open the door to potential security breaches by threat agents, such as malicious hackers.
Vulnerability scanning employs software that seeks out security flaws based on a database of known flaws, testing systems for the occurrence of these flaws and generating a report of the findings that an individual or an enterprise can use to tighten the network's security.
Vulnerability scanning typically refers to the scanning of systems that are connected to the Internet but can also refer to system audits on internal networks that are not connected to the Internet in order to assess the threat of rogue software or malicious employees in an enterprise.
Option C - Penetration Test, is the answer to the question.
A Penetration Test, commonly known as a "pen test," is a simulated attack on a computer system or network to identify vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. It involves attempting to exploit vulnerabilities and weaknesses in a system to determine whether unauthorized access or other malicious activities can be carried out.
Penetration testing is an active form of testing that goes beyond merely analyzing network traffic or running vulnerability scans, which are passive in nature. Penetration testing attempts to simulate real-world attack scenarios by using a variety of techniques, tools, and methods that a real attacker may use.
In contrast, protocol analyzers, port scanners, and vulnerability scanners are passive forms of testing that do not actively try to exploit vulnerabilities. A protocol analyzer monitors network traffic and captures packets, allowing analysts to inspect network traffic. Port scanners scan a network for open ports and services. A vulnerability scanner scans for known vulnerabilities in software, operating systems, or network devices. While these tools can help identify potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses in a system, they do not actively verify whether a threat exists or whether security controls can be easily bypassed.
In summary, penetration testing is an active form of testing that can verify the existence of a threat and determine whether security controls can be bypassed, making it the most appropriate option in this scenario.
