CISM Exam: Best Techniques for Testing Security Effectiveness

Best Techniques for Testing Security Effectiveness

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Question

Which of the following techniques would be the BEST test of security effectiveness?

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A. B. C. D.

B.

Out of the given options, performing an external penetration test would be the BEST test of security effectiveness.

A penetration test (also known as a pen test) is an authorized simulated cyber-attack on a computer system, network or application, to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious attackers. It helps to determine whether the security controls implemented in the system are working as intended or not. An external penetration test is specifically focused on identifying security weaknesses in the system from an attacker's perspective.

Reviewing security policies and standards, reviewing security logs, and analyzing technical security practices are all important security activities, but they are not as effective as a penetration test in testing the security effectiveness of a system.

Reviewing security policies and standards helps to ensure that the system is compliant with the applicable laws, regulations, and industry best practices. It also helps to establish a baseline for security requirements and expectations. However, reviewing security policies and standards alone does not ensure that the system is secure or that the security controls are effective.

Reviewing security logs helps to detect security incidents and identify potential security breaches. However, reviewing security logs does not provide a comprehensive view of the system's security effectiveness or identify all the possible vulnerabilities in the system.

Analyzing technical security practices involves reviewing the technical security controls implemented in the system, such as firewalls, access control mechanisms, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus software. However, analyzing technical security practices alone does not provide a complete picture of the system's security effectiveness or identify all the possible vulnerabilities in the system.

Therefore, out of the given options, performing an external penetration test would be the BEST test of security effectiveness, as it provides a comprehensive view of the system's security posture and identifies all the possible vulnerabilities in the system.