The right way, the wrong way and the CISCO way!

The order of the steps to investigate the issue would be:

1. Verify memory state: The first step in any network outage investigation should be to check the status of the system’s memory. This can be done using built-in tools or third-party software.
2. Check the memory logs: After verifying the memory state, check the memory logs to see if any errors or issues have been reported.
3. Generate the core file: If there are any issues with the memory, the next step is to generate the core file, which will provide more information about what caused the memory failure.
4. Verify the image file hash: Once the core file has been generated, verify the image file hash to ensure that the operating system and other critical files have not been corrupted.
5. Validate the file MD5: After verifying the image file hash, validate the file MD5 to ensure that all other files on the system are not corrupted.
6. Run show config: If the files are not corrupted, the next step is to run show config to check the configuration of the network devices.
7. Run show access-list: Finally, run show access-list to check the access lists on the network devices to see if they are blocking any traffic that should be allowed.

B. Accessing the server with financial data.

The behavior analytics tool likely detected suspicious activity when the threat actor attempted to access the server with corporate financial data, which triggered the system to disconnect the session and disable the administrator’s account. This response suggests that the system detected and responded to the threat actor’s behavior, indicating that a behavior analytics tool was in place.

Accessing the Active Directory server and multiple servers could be considered suspicious activity, but not necessarily indicative of a threat. Downloading more than 10 files may also be considered suspicious, but it is less likely to be the specific trigger for the behavior analytics tool in this scenario.

D. Identify movement of the attacker in the enterprise.

The first step in responding to any security incident is to identify the scope and extent of the incident. In this case, an unauthorized individual followed an authorized individual to enter a secured premise. Therefore, the security specialist should identify the movement of the attacker in the enterprise, including where the attacker went and what the attacker did while on the premises.

Once the movement of the attacker is identified, the security specialist can take appropriate action to contain the incident and minimize any damage or risk. The other options (A, B, and C) may also be important steps in a larger incident response plan, but they are not the appropriate next step in this specific scenario.

B. Asset vulnerability assessment: This is the process of identifying and prioritizing the vulnerabilities that exist in the organization’s assets, including hardware, software, and data. Without this assessment, it is impossible to determine the likelihood and potential impact of a successful attack.

E. Malware analysis report: This report provides detailed information about the new malware variant, including its capabilities, attack vectors, and potential impact on the organization’s assets. Without this information, it is difficult to assess the potential impact of the malware on the organization and determine appropriate risk mitigation strategies.

The other options (A, C, and D) may be important elements of a risk assessment or incident response plan, but they are not specifically related to the calculation of the risk assessment itself, according to NIST.

A. Create an ACL on the firewall to allow only TLS 1.3: Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a protocol that provides secure communication between web servers and clients over the internet. By creating an Access Control List (ACL) on the firewall to allow only TLS 1.3, the web server can be configured to only accept secure connections from clients. This helps to protect against attacks that try to intercept or eavesdrop on communications.

B. Implement a reverse server in the DMZ network: A reverse proxy server acts as an intermediary between the internet and the web server. It receives all incoming traffic and then forwards it to the web server. By implementing a reverse server in the DMZ network, the web server can be protected from direct exposure to the internet. The reverse proxy server can perform functions such as filtering traffic, caching data, and providing an additional layer of security by masking the web server’s IP address.

The other options (C, D, and E) are not appropriate steps to mitigate attacks on the web server from the internet. Creating an ACL on the firewall to allow only external connections (option C) could potentially block legitimate traffic from internal users. Moving the web server to the internal network (option D) could reduce its accessibility to external users and make it harder to access the web server. Moving the web server to the external network (option E) would increase its exposure to the internet and make it more vulnerable to attacks.

The following matches the phases to the activities:

• Reconnaissance: Gathering information on a target for future use.
• Enumeration: Probing the target to discover operating system details.
• Vulnerability Assessment: Confirming the existence of non-vulnerabilities in the target system.
• Exploit: Using previously identified vulnerabilities to gain access to the target system.
• Persistence: Inserting backdoor access or covert channels to ensure access to the target system.
• Cover Tracks: Erasing traces of actions in audit logs and registry entries.

A. Perform a vulnerability assessment.

A vulnerability assessment is the process of identifying and evaluating security vulnerabilities in an organization’s information systems, applications, and network infrastructure. By performing a vulnerability assessment, an organization can identify potential security weaknesses and take appropriate action to mitigate or eliminate them. This is essential to ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.

While conducting a data protection impact assessment, penetration testing, and awareness testing are also important aspects of a comprehensive data security strategy, they are not specifically mentioned in GDPR as measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.

C. Classify the attack vector, understand the scope of the event, and identify the vulnerabilities being exploited.

The first priority of the incident response team should be to gain a full understanding of the incident. This includes identifying the attack vector, understanding the scope of the event, and identifying the vulnerabilities being exploited. By classifying the attack vector and determining the scope of the event, the incident response team can begin to determine the level of response needed and whether additional resources or expertise may be necessary to address the incident.

A. Classifying the criticality of the information, researching the attacker’s motives, and identifying missing patches, and D. Determining the attack surface, evaluating the risks involved, and communicating the incident according to the escalation plan are also important steps in the incident response workflow, but they are not the immediate actions to be taken at this stage of the incident.

B. Determining the damage to the business, extracting reports, and saving evidence according to a chain of custody are important steps, but they should be taken after the attack vector, scope, and vulnerabilities have been identified.

D. Fix applications according to the risk scores.

CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) vulnerabilities can allow an attacker to carry out malicious actions on behalf of an authenticated user, by tricking them into visiting a malicious web page or clicking on a link. Given the severity of this vulnerability, it is critical to fix all affected applications as soon as possible.

In order to prioritize the patching process, the engineer should prioritize applications based on their risk scores. Risk scoring allows for a systematic evaluation of the level of risk associated with the applications and assists in determining the order of priority for addressing the vulnerabilities. This ensures that the most critical applications are patched first, thereby mitigating the risk of a successful attack.

Identifying the business applications running on the assets (Option A) is an important step, but it does not directly address the issue of patching the CSRF vulnerability. Updating software to patch third-party software (Option B) is also important, but may not be the most critical step at this time. Validating CSRF by executing exploits within Metasploit (Option C) is not necessary as the vulnerability has already been identified.

A. Firewall: A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. By using a firewall, an organization can block traffic associated with the Microsoft SQL Server Resolution Protocol and DDoS attacks.

E. IPS: Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) is a security tool that monitors network traffic for signs of malicious activity and can block or prevent that traffic from entering the network. An IPS can detect and prevent DDoS attacks by identifying suspicious traffic patterns and blocking them.

While Wireshark (Option B) and Autopsy (Option C) are both useful network analysis tools, they are not specifically designed for detecting and mitigating DDoS attacks. SHA512 (Option D) is a cryptographic hash function that can be used to verify the integrity of data, but it is not a tool for detecting or mitigating DDoS attacks.

B. Update the IDS/IPS signatures and reimage the affected hosts.

The recovery phase is focused on restoring the organization’s systems and services to a normal state. After a phishing attack, it is essential to address any vulnerabilities that the attackers exploited to prevent future attacks. Updating the IDS/IPS signatures can help to identify similar attacks in the future. Reimaging the affected hosts can help to ensure that any malware or other malicious software that may have been installed during the attack is removed.

A. Hosting a discovery meeting and defining configuration and policy updates, C. Identifying the systems that have been affected and tools used to detect the attack, and D. Identifying the traffic with data capture using Wireshark and reviewing email filters are all important steps in the incident response process after a phishing attack, but they are not specifically related to the recovery phase of the process. These steps are typically taken during the investigation phase of the incident response process, which precedes the recovery phase.

B. Acknowledge the vulnerabilities and document the risk.

It is essential to acknowledge vulnerabilities and document their associated risks, even if the organization decides not to remediate them. By documenting the risk, the engineer can help the organization to make informed decisions regarding the acceptance of potential risks. This documentation can also be used to develop a plan to mitigate the risks associated with the vulnerabilities.

A. Investigating the vulnerability to prevent further spread, C. Applying vendor patches or available hot fixes, and D. Isolating the assets affected in a separate network are all important steps to take in response to a vulnerability, but they may not be applicable in this scenario since management has already decided to accept the vulnerabilities. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on the documentation of the risks associated with the vulnerabilities.

B. Isolate the infected host from the rest of the subnet.

Isolating the infected host from the rest of the subnet is important to prevent the further spread of the malware to other systems on the network. By disconnecting the host from the network, the incident response team can prevent the malware from communicating with any command and control servers or other systems on the network.

A. Conducting a risk assessment of systems and applications, C. Installing malware prevention software on the host, and D. Analyzing network traffic on the host’s subnet are all important steps in response to a malware incident, but they should be taken after the infected host has been isolated from the network.

1. Collect log data: Collecting log data is the first step to understand the extent and nature of the incident, including the scope of unauthorized access and system changes that have occurred.
2. Identify systems to be taken offline: Identifying systems that have been compromised or exposed to the unauthorized software is crucial to prevent further damage and contain the incident.
3. Conduct content scans: Conducting content scans can help identify any other unauthorized software or malicious files that may have been installed on the network.
4. Request system patch: Requesting a system patch may help mitigate the vulnerability that led to the escalation of privilege attack, and prevent future attacks of a similar nature.
5. Reimage: Reimaging the affected system may be necessary if the system has been compromised to a degree that it cannot be remediated through other means.

It is important to note that the order of these activities may vary depending on the specifics of the incident, and they may need to be conducted concurrently to ensure a timely and effective response.

C. Predictive data analytic technique.

The predictive data analytic technique involves analyzing historical data to make predictions about future events or outcomes. In the context of cybersecurity, this technique involves using data analysis tools to identify patterns and trends in historical cyberattacks, and then using this information to predict potential future attacks and proactively mitigate them.

Diagnostic (Option A) and statistical (Option D) data analytic techniques are retrospective and focus on analyzing past events to identify the cause and effect of problems or issues. While they are useful for identifying the root cause of a problem, they do not provide insights into future events.

Qualitative (Option B) data analytic technique involves analyzing non-numeric data to understand the opinions, beliefs, and attitudes of people. While this technique can be used to gather qualitative data about cyberattacks, it may not be the most effective technique for identifying patterns and trends to predict future attacks.

B. Isolate critical hosts from the network.

Isolating critical hosts from the network is important to prevent the malware from spreading and causing further damage to other systems. By disconnecting the hosts, the incident response team can also prevent the malware from communicating with command and control servers or other systems on the network.

A. Assessing the network for unexpected behavior, C. Patching detected vulnerabilities from critical hosts, and D. Performing analysis based on the established risk factors are all important steps in response to a malware outbreak, but they should be taken after isolating the affected hosts from the network.

D. Threat scores are low, and no malicious file activity is detected.

The exhibit shows that the Threat Grid report for the low prevalence file detected by Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) indicates a low threat score, no malicious activity, and no files modified. This suggests that the file is safe and not associated with any malicious activity or malware.

Option A, B, and C are not correct because the exhibit indicates that there is no evidence of malicious activity or file modifications associated with the submitted file, and the threat score is low.

C. Implement a new workflow for SOAR to fetch a report of assets that are outside of the PKI zone, sort assets by certification management leads, and automate alerts that updates are needed.

This action involves implementing a new workflow within the SOAR platform that fetches a report of assets that are outside of the PKI zone, and then sorts these assets by certification management leads. The workflow then automates alerts that updates are needed, which can help to streamline the certificate management process and improve the efficiency of the workflow.

A (Implement a new workflow within SOAR to create tickets in the incident response system, assign problematic certificate update requests to server owners, and register change requests), B (Integrate a PKI solution within SOAR to create certificates within the SOAR engines to track, update, and monitor problematic certificates), and D (Integrate a SOAR solution with Active Directory to pull server owner details from the AD and send an automated email for problematic certificates requesting updates) are all possible options to improve the certificate management process, but they do not address the specific challenge of managing problematic certificates outside of the PKI management.

The steps and the corresponding actions that occur at each step are:

1. Prepare: Conduct incident response role training for employees.
2. Analyze: Determine how the breach was discovered and the areas that were impacted.
3. Contain: Determine where the breach started and prevent the attack from spreading.
4. Eradicate: Eliminate the root cause of the breach and apply updates to the system.
5. Recover: Get systems and business operations up and running and ensure that the same type of attack does not occur again.
6. Post-incident handling: Review and document the breach and strengthen systems against future attacks.

Note that these steps follow the NIST incident response framework, which provides a systematic approach to responding to cybersecurity incidents. The actions listed for each step are intended to help organizations respond to cybersecurity incidents efficiently and effectively.

C. Identify systems or services at risk.

After validating the alert, the incident response team needs to determine the scope of the attack, which systems or services are at risk, and the potential impact of the attack. The next step would be to identify which other systems or services may be at risk of compromise or attack and assess the potential impact on the organization.

A (Block the source IP from the firewall) may be a valid action, but it should be taken after identifying the systems or services at risk and determining the impact of the attack.

B (Perform an antivirus scan on the laptop) and D (Identify lateral movement) may also be important steps in responding to the incident, but they should be taken after identifying the systems or services at risk and determining the impact of the attack.

A. Determine the systems involved and deploy available patches.

After an incident, it is essential to determine the scope of the attack, including which systems were involved and the extent of the damage. In this case, the first step in the recovery process should be to identify the affected systems and deploy available patches to prevent the attack from recurring and to address any vulnerabilities that were exploited.

B (Analyze event logs and restrict network access), C (Review access lists and require users to increase password complexity), and D (Identify the attack vector and update the IDS signature list) are also important steps in responding to the incident, but they are not specific to the recovery stage. These steps can be taken earlier in the incident response process to help identify and contain the attack, but at the recovery stage, the focus is on restoring affected systems and preventing the attack from recurring.

C. Turn off all access to the patient portal to secure patient records.

The top priority in any security incident involving the disclosure of sensitive information is to stop the unauthorized disclosure as quickly as possible. In this case, the first step should be to disable all access to the patient portal to prevent further unauthorized access to patient records.

Once the portal is secured, the incident response team can proceed with further investigation and analysis to determine the root cause of the incident and to identify any other systems or services that may have been impacted.

A (Evaluate visibility tools to determine if external access resulted in tampering), B (Contact the third-party handling provider to respond to the incident as critical), and D (Review system and application logs to identify errors in the portal code) may be important steps in the incident response process, but they should be taken after the initial response to the incident, which is to disable all access to the patient portal.

1. Spoofing attack
2. Broken authentication attack
3. Injection attack
4. Man in the middle attack
5. Privilege escalation attack
6. Default credential attack

Threats:

1. Changing configuration settings
2. Developing new code
3. Implementing a new application
4. Installing network devices

Matching:

1. Spoofing attack – Changing configuration settings
2. Broken authentication attack – Developing new code
3. Injection attack – Implementing a new application
4. Man in the middle attack – Installing network devices
5. Privilege escalation attack – Developing new code
6. Default credential attack – Changing configuration settings

Note: The matching is based on the understanding that the threats listed are related to potential causes of the attacks rather than the targets of the attacks themselves.

Based on the NIST incident handling guide, the step that was missed in the incident response scenario described is:

D. Perform vulnerability assessment.

After removing the malware and restoring the functionality and data of infected systems, the incident response team should perform a vulnerability assessment to identify the root cause of the incident and any other potential vulnerabilities that could lead to future incidents. This step is important to prevent future incidents and to improve the incident handling capability of the organization.

Containment (A) is the initial step in the incident response process, and installing IPS software (B) can be a part of the containment or mitigation phase, depending on the specific incident. Determining the escalation path (C) is an important step in incident response, but it is not directly related to the handling of the current incident. Therefore, performing a vulnerability assessment (D) is the step that was missed in the incident response scenario according to the NIST incident handling guide.

C. Use subinterface command no ip directed-broadcast.

The attack is causing devices in the network to respond back to the source IP address, which is a result of the attacker sending packets with a spoofed source IP and using an IP broadcast address. This attack can be mitigated by disabling directed broadcast on the router, which is done by using the “no ip directed-broadcast” command on the subinterface. This will prevent the router from forwarding broadcast packets to other networks, and will prevent devices in the network from responding back to the source IP address.

The other options listed are not relevant to mitigating the specific attack described in the scenario:

• The “ip verify reverse-path interface” command (A) is used to prevent IP spoofing by verifying that incoming packets have a source address that is reachable via the interface they were received on.
• The “service tcp-keepalives-out” command (B) is used to send TCP keepalive packets to verify that the connection is still active.
• The “logging trap 6” command (D) is used to set the severity level of syslog messages that are sent to the logging server.

D. Successful acceptance of the client’s request.

2xx HTTP response codes indicate that the request was successfully received, understood, and accepted by the server, and that the server is returning a response to the client. This response can indicate a variety of information, such as confirming that the requested action has been completed, or providing the requested information to the client.

D. Implement restrictions within the VoIP VLANS

After receiving an alert about a zero-day vulnerability affecting desktop phones, the engineer should immediately take action to mitigate the threat. One of the first steps in this process should be to implement restrictions within the VoIP VLANs to prevent unauthorized access and limit the scope of the attack. This could involve measures such as updating firewall rules, configuring access control lists, or isolating affected devices from the network until a patch can be applied. The engineer should also continue to monitor the situation and work with the vendor to identify and implement a patch as soon as possible.

Based on the given scenario, the recommended action to harden the network would be to move the IPS to after the firewall facing the internal network. This is because the incident log showed that the alerts were from trusted IP addresses and internal devices, which implies that the alerts were not related to any external attacks. By moving the IPS after the firewall facing the internal network, it will help to reduce the number of false positives from trusted sources and improve the accuracy of intrusion detection.

A. Get-EventLog -LogName*

B. Get-EventLog -List

The step that was missed that would have prevented this breach is the use of SecDevOps to detect the vulnerability during development. By implementing secure development practices, such as regular code reviews, testing, and vulnerability assessments, vulnerabilities can be detected and addressed earlier in the development process, reducing the risk of a successful attack. In this case, the vulnerability was introduced in new code, indicating that it could have been prevented with better secure development practices.

D. Apply a limit to the number of requests in a given time interval for each API. If the rate is exceeded, block access from the API key temporarily and return a 429 HTTP error code.

This approach is known as rate limiting and can be used to prevent DDoS attacks by limiting the number of requests that can be made within a certain time frame. It allows legitimate traffic to continue while blocking or delaying excessive traffic from malicious sources. The 429 HTTP error code is used to indicate that the user has sent too many requests in a given amount of time.

B. Modify the output module rule to “output alert_quick: output filename”. The “alert_quick” option includes only the packet overviews, while “alert_full” includes the full packet headers, which is likely causing the file to be too large. By using the “alert_quick” option, the engineer can review the packet overviews without including unnecessary information.

1. Reconnaissance
2. Weaponization
3. Delivery
4. Exploitation
5. Installation
6. Command and Control
7. Actions on Objectives

Explanation:

1. Reconnaissance: Open port scans and multiple failed logins from website
2. Weaponization: Virus scanner Turing off
3. Delivery: Malware placed on the targeted system
4. Exploitation: Large amount of data leaving the network through unusual ports
5. Installation: Usb with infected files inserted into company laptop
6. Command and Control: System phone connecting to the countries where not staff are located
7. Actions on Objectives: Not visible to the victim

C. validate the restrictions, def validate_user(username, minlen)

Logs, alerts and events for application performance monitoring and application health are configurable by the customer – PaaS

The customer controls limited application configuration settings and obtain logs for security monitoring may be limited – SaaS

Logs, alerts, and events for operating system are configurable by the customer – IaaS

B. Log in during non-working hours

E. Increased number of sent mails

D. To collect and analyze security data from network devices and servers and produce alerts.

AESCryptoServiceProvider is a class that provides implementation of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm. It can be used to encrypt and decrypt data, as well as generate keys for use in encryption.

MemoryStream is a class that represents a stream of bytes stored in memory. It can be used to read from and write to a byte array in memory.

In a try subroutine, these two classes may be used together to encrypt or decrypt data stored in memory. For example:

In this example, the AesCryptoServiceProvider is used to create an instance of the AES algorithm, and a key and initialization vector (IV) are set. The MemoryStream is used to hold the plaintext data, and the CryptoStream is used to encrypt the data using the AES algorithm. The encrypted data is then converted to a Base64 string and output to the console. If an error occurs during this process, the catch block will handle the exception and output an error message.

D. The malware contains an encryption and decryption routine to hide URLs/IP addresses and is storing the output of loggers and webcam captures in locally encrypted files for retrieval.

A. SNMPv2

• Retract administrative access to operating systems and applications in accordance with job duties: Privilege accounts have full rights to information systems.
• Use multifactor authentication for remote access or accessing sensitive information: User verification is weak and based on a single factor.
• Change backup and store software and configuration setting for test three months: N/A (not enough context to determine which vulnerability this mitigates)
• Patch applications including flash web browsers and PDF viewers: Application security vulnerabilities can be used to execute malicious code.

1. Understand the STIX data model: Familiarize yourself with the structure of a STIX file, including the objects, properties, and relationships. This will help you understand how the information is organized and how to interpret it.
2. Read the documentation: Read the documentation that accompanies the STIX file to understand what the data represents and how it was collected.
3. Identify the threat: Look for indicators of a threat, such as malware, IP addresses, or domain names, and identify the threat actor or group if possible.
4. Analyze the attack vector: Identify the method used to execute the attack, such as a phishing email or a vulnerability exploit.
5. Look for patterns: Identify any patterns or trends in the data that can help you understand the scope and scale of the threat.
6. Cross-reference with other sources: Compare the information in the STIX file with other sources, such as threat intelligence feeds, to validate the information and gain a broader context.
7. Use visualization tools: Visualization tools can help you understand the relationships and connections between the objects in the STIX file and identify patterns and trends more easily.

C. data ingestion

C. Top Conversations.

In Cisco Secure Network Analytics (Stealthwatch), the Top Conversations tool displays the top hosts that are communicating with each other based on volume, allowing engineers to identify suspicious or anomalous traffic patterns.

The next step the engineer should take to investigate this case is to identify affected systems. Since multiple employees have reported system crashes within the same week, it is likely that other systems have been affected. By identifying affected systems, the engineer can take steps to remove the malicious shortcuts and investigate if there are any other related security issues. Once the affected systems have been identified, the engineer can investigate the malicious URLs and check the audit logs to determine how the malicious shortcuts were created and who created them.

B. The token is obtained by providing a password. The REST API requests access to a resource using the access token, validates the access token, and gives access to the resource.

When a user logs in with their credentials, the REST API generates a token, which is then used to authenticate subsequent requests. The REST client sends the token with each request to the REST API, which validates the token and provides access to the requested resource if the token is valid. The user’s password is used only to obtain the initial token, which is then used for subsequent authentication.

The next step the engineer should take is to run the program through a debugger to see the sequential actions. This will allow the engineer to step through the malware code and understand what it is doing at each step, including any malicious actions it may be attempting. Debugging can help the engineer identify potential vulnerabilities in the system and develop effective countermeasures.

C. It does not cover the costs of damage done by third parties as a result of a cyber attack.

Cyber security risk insurance covers many of the direct costs associated with a cyber attack, such as legal fees, data recovery, and liability claims. However, it typically does not cover the costs of damage done by third parties, such as reputation damage or loss of customers, which can have significant financial impacts on an organization.

A. Command and Control, Application Layer Protocol, Duqu

D. Obtain a copy of the file for detonation in a sandbox.

Since no available history of the file hash was found anywhere on the web, the best next step would be to obtain a copy of the file and detonate it in a sandbox environment to gather indicators of compromise. This will help to determine whether the attachment is malicious or not and provide additional information for further investigation. Running and analyzing the DLP Incident Summary Report or investigating in open-source repositories using YARA may provide additional information but are not the best next step in this scenario. Asking the company to execute the payload for real-time analysis is not recommended as it could result in potential damage or loss of data.

Based on the information provided, it is not possible to determine the cause of the issue with certainty. However, the presence of unusual types of internal traffic and unexplained encrypted data files on a system suggest that some type of security incident or compromise may have occurred. Further investigation is necessary to determine the cause of the issue, identify any malicious activity, and mitigate any potential damage.

B. Encrypt personal data.

To comply with PCI standards for hardening the systems, personal data, including credit card information, needs to be encrypted. Masking PAN (Primary Account Number) numbers can help reduce the risk of unauthorized access, but it is not enough to comply with the standard. Encrypting access is also not enough as it does not address the requirement to encrypt sensitive data. Masking sales details can help protect sensitive information, but it is not enough to comply with the PCI standards for hardening systems.

The security threat that should be mitigated first in this scenario is attack using default accounts. Default accounts are accounts that have pre-configured usernames and passwords that are often used by hackers to gain unauthorized access to systems. Since the application server for IP phones has access to both on-premises and cloud services, it is essential to ensure that default accounts are disabled or have their passwords changed. This is a common security practice to prevent unauthorized access and protect systems from attacks. Once this threat is mitigated, the organization can focus on aligning access control policies, protecting data from exfiltration during data transfer, and ensuring that data exposure from backups is minimized.

C. endpoint security solution

A. compromised insider

B. The event is classified as a critical risk level, and it is related to a malicious server IP. The recommended course of action is to execute the process in a sandboxed environment.

C. The event is classified as a critical risk level, and it is related to data exfiltration. The recommended course of action is to isolate the device.

D. The event has a high risk level, and it is related to a malicious host. The recommended course of action is to investigate further.

The type of breach that is occurring in this scenario is elevation of privileges.

A. Analysis of key performance indicators is needed to assess risk mitigation effectiveness in an organization. KPIs can help measure the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies and provide a clear picture of an organization’s security posture over time. This information can help organizations identify areas of improvement, optimize resource allocation, and make more informed decisions about their security programs.

The MIME type that should be followed is indicated in the “Content-Type” header of an HTTP response.

C. Scan the host with updated signatures and remove temporary containment.

The next step in the malware analysis process would be to perform static and dynamic code analysis of the specimen. After performing behavioral analysis, static analysis involves examining the code and characteristics of the malware to identify any recognizable patterns or signatures, while dynamic analysis involves observing the behavior of the malware in a controlled environment to understand its methods of attack and any associated network communications. These steps help in developing countermeasures and detection methods for similar types of malware.

Option C is the most appropriate tuning option to apply to the IPS. By allow listing traffic to the application’s IP from the internal network at a specific port, the IPS will permit the communication between the outdated application located in the private VLAN and the internal network while blocking any unapproved communication. This will enable the company to use the outdated application located in the private VLAN while securing their network from external threats.

NOTE –

A private VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is a network segmentation technique that allows an administrator to partition a single VLAN into sub-VLANs, effectively isolating the traffic between devices within that VLAN. The private VLAN concept is based on the idea of having one primary VLAN, known as the “primary VLAN,” that is further divided into one or more “secondary VLANs.”

In a private VLAN, there are two types of ports: promiscuous ports and host ports. Promiscuous ports are typically used to connect to external networks or network devices, while host ports are used to connect to individual devices within the VLAN. Host ports can be further classified as either isolated or community ports.

An isolated port is a host port that can only communicate with promiscuous ports, while a community port is a host port that can communicate with other host ports within the same secondary VLAN. This allows for greater control over the flow of traffic within the VLAN, as isolated ports prevent direct communication between devices within the same VLAN, while community ports allow communication between devices with the same security or trust level.

Private VLANs are often used in environments such as data centers, service providers, and enterprise networks, where isolation and security are critical. By segmenting a VLAN into smaller, isolated sub-VLANs, administrators can better control and secure network traffic, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or malicious activity.

D. Engage the legal department to explore action against the competitor that posted the spreadsheet.

The disclosure of sensitive information is a serious data breach, and it is important to take action against the responsible party. The legal department can provide guidance on what steps to take, such as sending a cease and desist letter, pursuing legal action for damages, and notifying regulatory agencies if necessary. It is also important to conduct a thorough investigation to determine how the information was obtained and how to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

To prevent this issue from reoccurring, the engineer should enable memory threshold notifications. This will allow the engineer to be alerted when the memory usage reaches a certain level, enabling them to take necessary actions to prevent system malfunctions. Disabling the memory limit can result in memory exhaustion and lead to system malfunction. Disabling the CPU threshold trap will not prevent the memory pool buffer usage from reaching a peak. Enabling memory tracing notifications may provide detailed information on the memory usage but does not prevent the issue from occurring.

D. Collect evidence and maintain a chain-of-custody during further analysis.

The actions a security manager should take in this scenario are:

1. Report to the incident response team: The incident response team should be notified immediately so they can take control of the situation, preserve evidence, and coordinate the response to the incident.
2. Escalate to contractor’s manager: The security manager should inform the contractor’s manager about the incident, as it could be a breach of the contractor’s agreement and can lead to the termination of the contract.
3. Communicate with the contractor to identify the motives: The security manager should communicate with the contractor to understand the motive behind the download of the confidential documents. This will help in determining the severity of the incident and in taking appropriate actions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
4. Measure confidentiality level of downloaded documents: The security manager should assess the level of confidentiality of the downloaded documents and determine the potential impact of the breach.

Based on the severity of the incident, additional actions may include changing access controls, implementing additional security controls, conducting a security audit, and notifying external parties such as regulatory authorities or affected customers.

The next step in the incident response workflow after stopping the malware from spreading and identifying the attacking host is containment. The goal of containment is to isolate and limit the impact of the incident to prevent further damage or data loss.

When the HTTP response code 301 is received from a web application, the appropriate action is to confirm the resource’s location. The HTTP 301 response code indicates that the requested resource has moved permanently to a new URL, and the new URL should be used for future requests. By confirming the new location, clients can ensure they are accessing the most up-to-date resource. Updating the cached header metadata, increasing the allowed user limit, and modifying the session timeout setting are not relevant actions to take in response to an HTTP 301 response code.

TCP port 79 is associated with the Finger protocol, which is a service that is commonly used by attackers to gather information about users and assets. The best way to mitigate this attack is to disable the Finger service on affected devices to prevent further reconnaissance by attackers. It is also recommended to investigate the source of the requests on TCP port 79 to identify any potential indicators of compromise and further harden the organization’s security posture.

A. Implement a patch management process. C. Apply existing patches to the company servers.

The threat model for the SQL database in this scenario is that an attacker can read or change data, as both types of clients are accessing the core database that manages transactions and access control. This means that an attacker who gains access to the SQL database could potentially view or modify sensitive data, such as user account information or transaction details. Therefore, protecting against unauthorized access to the database and implementing appropriate access controls are critical to mitigating this threat.

D. Create an automation script for blocking URLs on the firewall when the rule is triggered.

Creating an automation script that blocks malicious URLs on the firewall immediately when the rule is triggered can improve the effectiveness of the process by reducing the response time and minimizing the potential damage of a malicious request. This would eliminate the need for manual intervention and ensure that the malicious request is stopped in a timely and efficient manner.

The cloud environment that the cloud engineer should use to deploy applications on a cloud without being able to manage and control the server OS is PaaS (Platform as a Service). In a PaaS environment, the cloud provider offers a platform for developing, testing, and deploying applications. The provider manages the underlying infrastructure, operating system, and middleware, and the user only needs to focus on the application.

B. Identify who installed the application by reviewing the logs and gather a user access log from the HR department.

D. Initiate a triage meeting with department leads to determine if the application is owned internally or used by any business unit and document the asset owner.

A. Configure shorter timeout periods.

B. Determine API rate-limiting requirements.

A. reduces the attack surface

Option B. {1}, {3} – The console_ip is needed to send a request to the SIEM console, and reference_set_name is needed to create the reference set to store the malicious URLs. The api_token is not needed to receive a successful HTTP response, but it may be used to authenticate the request. Therefore, the correct option is B. {1}, {3}.

All of the options could be valid next steps depending on the specific details of the incident and the investigator’s strategy. However, in general, one common next step after isolating the affected workstation would be to analyze the applications and services running on it to identify any suspicious or unauthorized activity.

Browser page rendering permissions are displayed in the X-Frame-Options header.

Based on the information given, the method used to signal ISE to quarantine the endpoints is likely pxGrid.