A threat represents a potential danger that could exploit a weakness in a system while risk is associated with the potential impact or loss that could occur if a threat exploits a vulnerability in the system. So, option A which states “Threat represents a potential danger that could take advantage of a weakness in a system” is correct. References := Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview

The regular expression c(rgr)+e matches strings where “rgr” occurs one or more times between “c” and “e”. The string “crgrrgre” fits this pattern as it has the sequence “rgr” repeated twice between “c” and “e”. The plus sign (+) in the regular expression indicates that the preceding element must appear one or more times for a match to occur

 The virtual address space for a Windows process is the set of virtual memory addresses that can be used by the process. Each process has its own virtual address space that is isolated from other processes. The virtual address space is divided into regions that have different attributes, such as read-only, read-write, execute, and so on. The virtual address space is mapped to the physical memory by the operating system using a data structure called a page table. References:

• Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) v1.0, Module 4: Host-Based Analysis, Lesson 4.1: Windows Operating System
• Virtual Address Space

• The weaponization step in the Cyber Kill Chain Model involves the creation or use of a specific weapon (malware, exploit) designed to leverage a vulnerability.
• This phase follows the reconnaissance phase where the attacker gathers information and precedes the delivery phase where the weapon is delivered to the target.
• Developing specific malware to exploit a vulnerable server is a precise example of weaponization.

References

• Lockheed Martin Cyber Kill Chain Model
• Understanding the Weaponization Phase in Cyber Attacks
• Steps in the Cyber Kill Chain

A host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS) monitors a computer system for suspicious activity by analyzing events occurring within that host. It can detect malicious activities and security policy violations by examining system calls, application logs, file-system modifications (such as rootkit installations), and other host activities. HIDS is an essential component in safeguarding the IT infrastructure against unauthorized access and security breaches.

References := The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course material covers the monitoring of alerts and breaches, and the understanding and following of established procedures for response to alerts converted to incidents, which includes the use of host-based intrusion detection systems

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) refers to any data that can be used to identify a specific individual. Safeguarding PII is critical to protect individuals’ privacy and prevent identity theft. A driver’s license number (B) is considered PII because it is unique to an individual and can be used to confirm their identity. Other examples of PII include social security numbers, passport numbers, and financial account numbers. It is important to protect such information from unauthorized access to maintain personal privacy and security.

References: Identifying and Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII)2.

When a system is overwhelmed with alerts, designing criteria for reviewing alerts can help prioritize and manage them more effectively. This approach allows for a structured review process that can distinguish between false positives, false negatives, and legitimate alerts, reducing the overall number of alerts that require attention3.

References := The strategy of designing criteria for reviewing alerts is recommended in cybersecurity best practices to manage alert fatigue and improve the efficiency of security operations3.

A false positive in network security is when a benign action is incorrectly flagged as malicious, leading to legitimate traffic being blocked. This can disrupt normal network operations and access to services, as the security system mistakenly identifies normal behavior as a threat1.

References := The concept of false positives and their impact on network traffic is discussed in various cybersecurity resources, including Cisco’s own training materials and discussions on network security best practices1.

Protected data refers to any information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. In the scenario described, the engineer must identify data that is considered protected under privacy laws and regulations. Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI) are two types of data that are considered protected. PII includes any data that could potentially identify a specific individual, such as addresses and gender. PHI refers to any information about health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual. This is what makes both PII and PHI crucial to be identified and protected in compliance with data protection regulations.

References: The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course provides insights into identifying protected data and the importance of safeguarding it within a network1.

NIST Special Publication 800-61 r2 outlines the incident response process including detection and analysis, which involves identifying and validating the occurrence of incidents, and post-incident activity that focuses on lessons learned and improvements to be made after an incident has occurred. References := NIST Special Publication 800-61 r2

Reflective XSS, also known as Non-Persistent XSS, occurs when an attacker sends a malicious script to a user through a web application, and the script is executed immediately in the user’s browser without being stored on the server. This type of attack is typically carried out by including the malicious script in a URL, which is then sent to the victim. When the victim clicks on the link, the script runs in their browser, reflecting the attacker’s actions without storing the payload for repeated use12. References: OWASP Foundation’s documentation on Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) provides detailed information on the different types of XSS attacks, including Reflective XSS

 In the context of a cybersecurity breach, attribution involves identifying the responsible party. Since the external USB device was not found, the focus shifts to the actions performed by the receptionist. Analyzing these actions can provide insights into how the breach occurred and may help in attributing the incident to the threat actor

References := Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate 200-201 Certification Guide

When a stream cipher like RC4 is used twice with the same key, it becomes vulnerable to a ciphertext-only attack. In this type of attack, the attacker has access to several ciphertexts that are encrypted with the same key but does not know anything about the plaintexts. By analyzing these ciphertexts, an attacker can gain insights into the plaintext or even recover parts or all of it. References := Cisco Cybersecurity source documents or study guide (I need to search for specific references as I don’t have direct access to Cisco’s proprietary content)

Resource exhaustion is an evasion technique where an attacker overwhelms a system with a high volume of requests from multiple sources. This can cause the system to become overloaded and unable to process legitimate traffic, potentially allowing the attacker to bypass security measures like intrusion detection systems.

References := The answers are based on the knowledge from the Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course material, which covers various cybersecurity concepts, including file identification methods, application control technologies, firewall utilities, and evasion techniques

• The image shows a piece of code within a bordered rectangular area.
• It is a string of HTML code that appears to be an example of an attack, specifically “”.
• The code suggests an attempt to execute JavaScript within an image source attribute, indicative of a cross-site scripting attack.

• TCP injection is an attack where the attacker sends crafted packets into an existing TCP session. These packets appear to be part of the session.
• The presence of many SYN packets with the same sequence number, source, and destination IP but different payloads indicates that an attacker might be injecting packets into the session.
• This method can be used to disrupt communication, inject malicious commands, or manipulate the data being transmitted.

References

• Understanding TCP Injection Attacks
• Analyzing Packet Captures for Injection Attacks
• Network Security Monitoring Techniques

The exhibit shows a UNIX command being used to filter data from an Apache access log file. The use of “cat” to display the content of the log file, “grep” to filter specific IP addresses, and “cut” to organize the output are all indicative of operations performed on a UNIX-based system. Additionally, the structure of the logs (GET requests) aligns with the format typically found in Apache server logs. References := The Cisco Cybersecurity source documents or study guide are not directly referenced here as I need to search for specific content related to this question.

The defense-in-depth principle is a strategy of applying multiple layers of security controls to protect an asset from threats. It is based on the assumption that no single security measure is sufficient to prevent all attacks, and that each layer adds more protection and reduces the risk of compromise. One example of applying the defense-in-depth principle is implementing alerts for unexpected asset malfunctions, which can indicate a potential security breach or incident. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.1: The CIA Triad and Security Concepts, Topic 1.1.4: Defense-in-Depth Principle

A regular expression (regex) is a sequence of characters that defines a search pattern for text. A regex can be used to extract custom properties from log messages or events in a SIEM platform. In this case, the regex that matches the phrase “File: Clean” exactly is ^File: Clean$. The ^ symbol indicates the beginning of the line and the $ symbol indicates the end of the line. The regex ensures that no other characters are before or after the phrase. References:

• Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, Module 5: Security Policies and Procedures, Lesson 5.3: Data and Event Analysis
• 200-201 CBROPS - Cisco, Exam Topics, 5.0 Security Policies and Procedures, 5.3 Analyze data as part of security monitoring activities
• Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview - Cisco Learning Network, Videos, 5.3 Analyze data as part of security monitoring activities

Corroborative evidence is the type of evidence that supports a theory or an assumption that results from initial evidence. It provides additional support to the initial findings, strengthening the theory or assumption by confirming the same facts or pointing towards the same conclusion with independent pieces of evidence4567.

References := Types of evidence (article) | Lessons | Khan Academy, Evidence: Fundamental Concepts and the Phenomenal Conception, Navigating Scientific Evidence: Types and Definitions, How Courts Work - American Bar Association

 To investigate the callouts made post infection, it’s essential to know where the callouts were made to (domain names) and from which host IP addresses they originated. This information can help trace back the source and destination, aiding in understanding the nature of the callouts. References: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/firepower/60/configuration/guide/fpmc-config-guide-v60/Working_with_Indicators_of_Compromise.html

Trafshow is a network monitoring tool that provides real-time monitoring of network traffic. It displays the current connections and the amount of data being transferred over those connections. It is particularly useful in a Security Operations Center (SOC) for identifying unusual traffic patterns or connections that may indicate a security incident.

References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS)

The attack vector score in the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) reflects how a vulnerability can be exploited. A higher score is given when the attack can be conducted remotely, making it easier for an attacker to exploit the vulnerability without physical access to the vulnerable component3. References: The CVSS specification document provides a detailed explanation of how the attack vector score is determined, emphasizing the impact of the ease of exploitation on the score

• A: Stateful inspection tracks the state of network connections, such as TCP streams, to determine if a packet is part of an established connection.
• B: Deep packet inspection examines the data part (payload) of a packet and can identify, block, or reroute packets with specific types of malware. Stateful inspection does not inspect the payload for malware.

HTTPS uses SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transmission over the internet. This encryption makes it difficult to monitor HTTPS traffic because the data packets are encrypted making them unreadable to anyone trying to intercept or monitor the data without proper decryption keys. References := Cisco CyberOps Associate

 Indicators of Compromise (IoC) are pieces of forensic data, such as system log entries or files, that suggest an intrusion may have occurred. Indicators of Attack (IoA) are signs that an attack may be underway, allowing organizations to take action before any potential breach occurs.

References: The CBROPS course materials cover the concepts of IoC and IoA, explaining how they are used in cybersecurity operations to detect and prevent security incidents.

• Data encapsulation is a process in networking where the protocol stack of the sending host adds headers (and sometimes trailers) to the data.
• Each layer of the OSI or TCP/IP model adds its own header to the data as it passes down the layers, preparing it for transmission over the network.
• For example, in the TCP/IP model, data starts at the application layer and is encapsulated at each subsequent layer (Transport, Internet, and Network Access) before being transmitted.
• This encapsulation ensures that the data is correctly formatted and routed to its destination, where the headers are stripped off in reverse order by the receiving host.

References

• Networking Fundamentals by Cisco
• OSI Model and Data Encapsulation Process
• Understanding TCP/IP Encapsulation

 Phishing is considered a low-bandwidth attack because it does not require the use of significant network resources. Instead, it relies on social engineering to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links, often through email or other communication methods1.

Threat intelligence is crucial for organizations to understand the threats they are currently facing. It involves collecting, evaluating, and disseminating information about current or potential attacks that could affect an organization. This intelligence can help organizations prioritize their security measures based on the likelihood and potential impact of different threats. By using threat intelligence, organizations can be more proactive in their defense strategies and respond more effectively to cyber threats.

References: The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course emphasizes the importance of threat intelligence in monitoring security incidents and responding to them

 SOC metrics in relation to security incidents typically refer to the time it takes to detect the incident. These metrics are crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of incident response and remediation efforts by SOC teams. For example, metrics like the Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) enable organizations to assess how quickly they can identify a security incident, which is essential for reducing the impact of the incident on the organization. 

 Volatile data is information that is stored in memory or other temporary storage that is lost when the power is turned off or lost. According to NIST SP 800-86, login sessions and swap files are considered volatile because they exist in the system’s memory and can be lost or changed rapidly

The exhibit shows a Stealthwatch dashboard displaying information on alarming hosts, alarms by type, and today’s alarms. On the left side under “Top Alarming Hosts,” there are five host IP addresses listed with their respective categories indicating different types of alerts including ‘Data Hoarding’ and ‘Exfiltration.’ In “Alarms by Type” section at center top part of image shows bar graphs representing various alarm types including ‘Crypto Violation’ with their respective counts. On right side under “Today’s Alarms,” there’s a table showing the details of each alarm such as the host IP, the alarm type, the severity, and the time. The potential threat identified in this dashboard is that host 10.201.3.149 is receiving almost 19 times more data than is being sent to host 152.46.6.91, which is a sign of data exfiltration. Data exfiltration is the unauthorized transfer of data from a compromised system to an external destination, such as a command and control server or a malicious actor. This can result in data loss, breach of confidentiality, and damage to the organization’s reputation and assets. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals - Module 7: Network and Host Forensics

The IPv4 protocol header contains various fields that provide essential information for routing and delivery of packets across an IP network. Two key pieces of information collected from the IPv4 header are the source IP address and the destination IP address of the packet. These addresses are crucial for identifying where a packet is coming from and where it is intended to go12.

References := The structure and fields of the IPv4 header, including the source and destination IP addresses, are explained in detail in networking resources and documentation, such as the ComputerNetworkingNotes tutorial on IPv4 Header Structure1, and the Engineering LibreTexts on the IPv4 Header2.

The screenshot shows multiple POP requests with the command PASS, which is typically used for password entry. The rapid succession and variation of these requests suggest an attempt to guess the password, characteristic of a brute-force attack. Remember, always verify with additional data or context when possible, as packet captures can contain vast amounts of information and may require thorough analysis for accurate interpretation.

• A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack involves multiple compromised devices (botnet) sending a large number of requests to a target server to overwhelm it.
• In a specific type of DDoS attack known as an NTP amplification attack, the attacker exploits the Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers by sending small queries with a spoofed source IP address (the target’s IP).
• The NTP server responds with a much larger reply to the target’s IP address, thereby amplifying the traffic directed at the target.
• This reflection and amplification technique significantly increases the volume of traffic sent to the target, causing denial of service.

References

• OWASP DDoS Attack Overview
• NTP Amplification Attack Explained
• Understanding Botnets and Distributed Attacks

Patch management is the process of distributing and managing updates to software and systems. These updates can include patches for security vulnerabilities, bug fixes, and enhancements to improve performance or add new features. It ensures that systems are up-to-date, secure, and performing optimally. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Training

The regular expression that matches both “color” and “colour” is colo?ur. In this expression, the ? denotes that the preceding character u is optional, meaning it may appear zero or one time. This allows the expression to match both the American spelling “color” and the British spelling “colour”.

References := Understanding regular expressions is fundamental in various computing tasks, including cybersecurity operations. The Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) material covers the use of regular expressions for searching through logs and data, which is a critical skill for a cybersecurity analyst.

 The PCAP file in the exhibit shows a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) communication between two IP addresses. In the data section of the packet capture, “pdy/3.1… http/1” is visible, indicating that HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is being used as the application protocol for this communication.

References := The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course material covers the analysis of network traffic using tools like packet analyzers to identify application protocols in use1.

The defense-in-depth strategy is a layered approach to security that includes multiple defensive measures to protect against threats. Dividing the network into parts (B) helps isolate potential breaches, making it harder for an attacker to move laterally across the network. Implementing the patch management process (E) ensures that systems are up-to-date with the latest security patches, reducing vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit.

References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) course

NetFlow provides a more efficient way of recording and analyzing network traffic patterns over an extended period of time compared to syslog messages, full packet capture, or firewall event logs. It collects metadata about traffic flows traversing the network devices which can be used for understanding normal baseline behavior as well as identifying anomalies. References := Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview

 A web proxy is the technology used to block a user’s HTTP connection to a malicious site according to configured policy. It acts as an intermediary between users and the internet, enforcing security policies and preventing access to harmful sites by inspecting and managing web traffic.

• The regular expression provided is: .\.(pd][Oo][Cc)|[Xx][LI][Ss]|[Pp][Pp][Tt]) HTTP/1 .[01]
• This regular expression is designed to match file extensions for Word (.doc), Excel (.xls), and PowerPoint (.ppt) files in HTTP network sessions.
• The regular expression uses character classes and alternatives to match different case variations of these file extensions.
• The part .\.(pd][Oo][Cc)|[Xx][LI][Ss]|[Pp][Pp][Tt]) matches the file extensions, and HTTP/1 .[01] ensures that the match is in the context of HTTP version 1.0 or 1.1.

References

• Cisco ASA Regular Expressions Documentation
• Understanding Regular Expressions in Network Security
• Filtering and Capturing HTTP Traffic with Regex

 In the incident response process, detection and analysis involve researching an attacking host through logs in a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. This step helps in identifying, validating, and managing potential security incidents. References := Cisco CyberOps Associate - Module 3: Security Monitoring

Cisco Application Visibility and Control (AVC) provides features like metrics collection and exporting (D) for visibility on TCP bandwidth usage, response time, and latency. Application recognition (E) combined with deep packet inspection helps in identifying unknown software by its network traffic flow. References := Cisco CyberOps Associate - Module 2: Security Concepts

Deep packet inspection (DPI) is a sophisticated method of examining the content of data packets as they pass through a network checkpoint, including both the header and the data payload. DPI is typically performed at the application layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. This allows the inspection process to evaluate the actual content of the packets, not just the header information, enabling the identification of various types of threats and the enforcement of network policies1.

References := The explanation aligns with the information provided by Digital Guardian, which details how DPI works and at which layer it is applied1.

X.509 certificates are used in conjunction with secure data transfer protocols to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of communication. They are part of a public key infrastructure (PKI) that authenticates the identity of entities and encrypts data in transit. References: Implementing X.509 certificates along with secure data transfer protocols like SFTP, HTTPS, FTPS, and IPSec can help secure data sharing with third-party companies

 Event Code 4625 in Windows logs indicates a failed logon attempt. This could be a sign of someone trying to guess the credentials of a valid user account by repeatedly trying different passwords or usernames. This is known as a brute force attack and can be used to gain unauthorized access to a system or network. References: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/ise/2-4/admin_guide/b_ise_admin_guide_24/b_ise_admin_guide_24_new_chapter_01110.html

• The event where a breached workstation is trying to connect to a known malicious domain suggests that the attacker is moving towards their end goals, which typically involves actions on objectives.
• In the Cyber Kill Chain framework, "Action on objectives" refers to the steps taken by an attacker to achieve their intended outcomes, such as data exfiltration, destruction, or ransom demands.
• This phase involves the attacker executing their final mission within the target environment, leveraging access gained in earlier stages of the attack.

References

• Lockheed Martin Cyber Kill Chain
• Understanding the Stages of Cyber Attacks
• Incident Response and the Cyber Kill Chain

• The image shows a piece of code within a bordered rectangular area.
• It is a string of HTML code that appears to be an example of an attack, specifically “”.
• The code suggests an attempt to execute JavaScript within an image source attribute, indicative of a cross-site scripting attack.

 Secure boot and restricting USB ports are two components that can reduce the attack surface on an endpoint. The attack surface is the sum of all paths for data into and out of the environment. Reducing the attack surface means minimizing the number and complexity of these paths, and thus reducing the opportunities for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities or gain unauthorized access. Secure boot is a feature that ensures that only trusted and verified code can run during the boot process, preventing malware or unauthorized software from compromising the system. Restricting USB ports is a policy that limits the use of USB devices, such as flash drives or external hard drives, that can introduce malware or exfiltrate data from the endpoint.References: [Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Module 4: Network Intrusion Analysis], [Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Module 5: Security Policies and Procedures]

Full packet capture data involves storing the entire content of packets that traverse a network. This type of data is comprehensive and allows for detailed analysis but requires a significant amount of storage space compared to other data types like transaction, statistical, or session data. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals - Module 3: Network Data and Event Analysis

SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems are solutions that provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by applications and network hardware. They collect, store, analyze, and report on log data for incident response, forensics, and regulatory compliance. On the other hand, SOAR (Security Orchestration Automation and Response) platforms allow organizations to collect data about security threats from multiple sources and respond to low-level security events without human assistance. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provides a unified way for users to request system information, including hardware and software inventory data. The Common Information Model (CIM) is an open standard that defines how managed elements in an IT environment are represented as a common set of objects and relationships between them. References: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/ise/2-4/admin_guide/b_ise_admin_guide_24/b_ise_admin_guide_24_new_chapter_01100.html

Social engineering attacks involve manipulating individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. The fake offer for a free music download is a classic example of social engineering, where attackers lure users with a tempting offer to trick them into providing personal information or downloading malware.

References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS)

Vishing is an attack where fraudsters impersonate legitimate entities via phone calls to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Source Documents

A vulnerability management framework is a set of processes and tools that helps an organization identify, assess, prioritize, remediate, and mitigate system vulnerabilities. A vulnerability management framework aims to reduce the attack surface and the risk of compromise by applying security patches, hardening configurations, implementing security controls, and monitoring the system status. A vulnerability management framework is an essential component of a security operations center (SOC). References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, page 2-14; 200-201 CBROPS - Cisco, exam topic 1.2.b

In a Security Operations Center (SOC) environment, a vulnerability management metric is a quantifiable measure used to assess the effectiveness of the vulnerability management program. A full assets scan is a metric that can be used to determine the coverage and frequency of vulnerability scans across all assets. This helps in identifying unscanned assets and ensuring that all parts of the network are regularly checked for vulnerabilities1.

References :=

• SOC Metrics: Security Metrics & KPIs for Measuring SOC Success
• Vulnerability Management Metrics: 5 Metrics to Start Measuring in Your Vulnerability Management Program
• Top 10 Vulnerability Management Metrics & KPIs To Measure Success

False-positive alerts are alerts that are triggered by benign or normal network traffic and are mistakenly identified as malicious. False positives can have a negative impact on business as they may consume the resources and time of the security team that need to analyze and verify them. True-positive alerts are alerts that correctly identify malicious traffic or activity and require proper incident response procedures. True positives can help the security team to quickly detect and mitigate threats and minimize the damage to the organization. References := Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, page 92; [Cisco CyberOps Associate CBROPS 200-201 Official Cert Guide], page 98

Stealthwatch is the technology that an engineer should use to fetch logs from a proxy server and generate actual events based on the data received. Cisco Secure Network Analytics, formerly known as Stealthwatch, provides the capability to configure proxy server logs so that the Flow Collector can receive the information. The Stealthwatch Management Console then displays this information on the Flow Proxy Records page, which includes URLs and application names of the traffic inside a network going through the proxy server1.

References :=

• Cisco Secure Network Analytics Proxy Log Configuration Guide

 tcpdump is an open-source packet capture tool that uses the libpcap library to capture network traffic on Linux and Mac OS X operating systems. It can display the contents of packets in various formats, filter packets based on criteria, and save packets to a file. tcpdump is a command-line tool that can be run on a terminal or a remote shell1 References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Module 2: Security Monitoring

 In NetFlow log sessions within TCP connections; ACK flag is used for acknowledging that data has been successfully received while RST flag is used when there’s an error or when closing a connection spontaneously without following standard procedures. References := Cisco Cybersecurity source documents or study guide

The situation where endpoint logs show a machine receiving an unusual gateway address and DNS servers via DHCP is indicative of a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack, specifically a DHCP spoofing attack. In this type of attack, an adversary can set up a rogue DHCP server or manipulate the DHCP communication to provide false gateway and DNS information to clients. This allows the attacker to intercept, monitor, or manipulate traffic between the client and the intended gateway or DNS servers2.

References: Cisco’s best practices for network protections and attack identification3, and additional insights on securing networks from DHCP attacks

According to the NIST SP 800-61 incident handling process, the SOC team should first isolate the affected endpoints to prevent further spread of the attack and take disk images for analysis (A). This helps in preserving evidence for a thorough investigation. The next step would be to block the connection to the C&C server on the perimeter next-generation firewall ©, which helps to cut off the communication between the compromised endpoint and the attacker’s server, thereby mitigating the threat123.

References: The answers are based on the guidelines provided in the NIST SP 800-61 Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, which outlines the steps for incident handling, including detection, analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident activities

 In the context of phishing emails, the threat actor is the entity that is responsible for initiating the threat, which in this case is the sender of the phishing emails. The sender is impersonating the HR department to deceive the receiver into believing that the emails are legitimate

 Profiling a network involves various elements that provide insights into its characteristics and behaviors. Total throughput is crucial as it measures the amount of data passing from a source to a destination in a given period, reflecting the network’s capacity and usage patterns1. Listening ports are also essential for profiling because they represent the entry points for network services, indicating which services are available and potentially vulnerable1.

References :=

• Network profiling tools and techniques discussed in online resources23.
• Direct explanations of network profile elements

 According to the NIST Incident Handling Guide, the analysis phase is the next phase of this investigation. The analysis phase involves examining the evidence and determining the impact, scope, and cause of the incident. The analyst should also identify the attacker’s methods, tools, and objectives, as well as any indicators of compromise or malicious activity. The analysis phase may also involve collecting additional data, such as logs, network traffic, or malware samples, to support the investigation. The analysis phase is crucial for developing an effective response and recovery strategy, as well as preventing or mitigating future incidents. References:

• NIST Special Publication 800-61 Revision 2, Computer Security Incident Handling Guide, Section 3.2.4, Analysis (https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-61r2.pdf)
• Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) v1.0, Module 5: Security Incident Response, Lesson 5.2: Incident Response Process, Topic 5.2.3: Analysis Phase (https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/understanding-cisco-cybersecurity-operations-fundamentals-cbrops-v1-0/CSCU-LP-CBROPS-V1-028093.html)

Traffic mirroring is a technique that copies the traffic from a source port or VLAN to a destination port or VLAN, where it can be analyzed by a security device or tool. Traffic mirroring does not affect the original traffic flow and does not introduce any latency or modification to the packets. Inline traffic interrogation is a technique that forwards the traffic directly to the security device or tool, where it can be inspected and modified before being sent to the destination. Inline traffic interrogation can introduce latency and affect the performance of the network. References:

• Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, Module 2: Security Monitoring, Lesson 2.2: Network Security Monitoring Tools
• 200-201 CBROPS - Cisco, Exam Topics, 2.0 Security Monitoring, 2.2 Describe the impact of various technologies on security monitoring
• Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate Overview - Cisco Learning Network, Videos, 2.2 Describe the impact of various technologies on security monitoring

The Cuckoo report indicates that the file has been identified by Yara rules as being capable of detecting a sandbox environment, which is a security mechanism for isolating and analyzing suspicious code. The presence of the “vmdetect” and “anti_dog” Yara rules suggests that the file may have mechanisms to avoid executing its malicious behavior when it detects that it is being analyzed in a sandbox. This is a common evasion technique used by malware to prevent detection and analysis by security researchers or automated systems.

References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) and other Cisco cybersecurity resources discuss malware analysis and the use of sandbox environments to safely execute and study potential malware. These resources also cover the topic of evasion techniques used by malware to avoid detection.

The ‘detection and analysis’ phase of incident response includes identifying all hosts affected by an attack. This step involves analyzing the scope of the incident, determining which systems and data are impacted, and understanding the nature of the attack to inform subsequent containment and eradication efforts45.

References :=

• CrowdStrike’s overview of incident response frameworks and steps4.
• VCEGuide’s explanation of incident response steps

 A TCP handshake is a three-way exchange of messages between a client and a server to establish a TCP connection. The client initiates the handshake by sending a SYN packet with a sequence number to the server. The server responds with a SYN-ACK packet with its own sequence number and an acknowledgment number that is the client’s sequence number plus one. The client completes the handshake by sending an ACK packet with an acknowledgment number that is the server’s sequence number plus one. If the remote server is not receiving an SYN-ACK packet from the local server, it means that the TCP handshake is not completed and the connection is not established. This could be caused by various factors, such as network congestion, firewall rules, packet filtering, or misconfiguration of the TCP parameters on either end. References := Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) - Cisco, page 177; TCP 3-Way Handshake Process - GeeksforGeeks

• Rule-based detection methods rely on predefined rules and patterns that are known beforehand. These rules are created based on prior knowledge of what constitutes normal and abnormal behavior.
• Statistical detection, on the other hand, involves analyzing data to identify anomalies. It is based on assumptions about what normal behavior looks like and uses statistical methods to detect deviations from this norm.
• Rule-based systems are typically straightforward but may miss novel attacks that do not match existing rules.
• Statistical methods can detect previously unknown threats by recognizing patterns that deviate from established baselines but may produce more false positives.

References

• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) Concepts
• Comparative Studies on Rule-based and Statistical Anomaly Detection
• Understanding Anomaly Detection in Network Security

 ARP cache poisoning is a type of attack that intercepts traffic on a switched network by sending spoofed ARP messages to associate the attacker’s MAC address with the IP address of a legitimate host or gateway. This way, the attacker can redirect the traffic intended for the legitimate host or gateway to his own device and perform a man-in-the-middle attack. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

When a company workstation is compromised, the stakeholders that must be involved are the ones who are responsible for the security incident response process. According to the table, these are Employee 4 (Security Operation Center Analyst), Employee 6 (Head of Network and Security Infrastructure Services), and Employee 7 (Technical Director). The other employees have different roles that are not directly related to the incident response process, such as accounting, financial management, or system administration. References := Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) v1.0, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.4: Security Monitoring, Topic 1.4.1: Security Operations Center

The -sP option in Nmap is used for host discovery without port scanning, which helps in identifying live hosts without triggering portscan alerts on IDS devices. It sends an ICMP echo request, a TCP SYN packet to port 443, a TCP ACK packet to port 80, and an ICMP timestamp request to each target IP address and waits for a response. Any responses are considered as indications of a live host. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals - Module 5: Endpoint Threat Analysis and Computer Forensics

 The average time taken by a Security Operations Center (SOC) to detect and resolve incidents is a critical metric for evaluating its effectiveness and scope. This metric reflects the SOC’s efficiency in identifying security threats and its ability to respond and mitigate those threats promptly. It encompasses the entire incident lifecycle, from initial detection to final resolution, providing a comprehensive measure of the SOC’s performance1.

References :=

• Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS)

The user-agent HTTP header field is used in forensics to identify the type of browser used. It contains a characteristic string that allows network protocol peers to identify the operating system and browser of the web-server. This information is crucial in forensic analysis as it can provide insights into the client’s environment1.

References := The importance of the user-agent string in identifying the browser type is discussed in various technical resources, including the Wikipedia page on HTTP header fields2 and articles on GeeksforGeeks1.

• The ping of death is a type of attack that involves sending oversized or malformed packets using the ICMP protocol to crash, freeze, or reboot the target system1.
• UDP flooding is an attack method that sends a large number of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets to random ports on a remote host, causing the host to repeatedly check for the application listening at that port, and (when no application is found) reply with an ICMP Destination Unreachable packet. This process can saturate the network and the resources of the host, leading to denial of service2.

References:

• Cloudflare’s explanation of common DoS attacks1.
• Wikipedia’s description of denial-of-service attack methods

A file hash is a unique identifier that is used to detect a specific file. It is generated by running a file through a cryptographic hash function, which produces a string of characters that represents the contents of the file. If even a single bit in the file changes, the resulting hash will be different, making it an effective way to identify files uniquely.

 A sandbox interprocess communication service refers to the mechanisms that allow different processes within a sandboxed environment to communicate with each other. These interfaces are crucial for coordinating activities among processes, especially in a restricted environment like a sandbox where direct interaction with the operating system or other processes might be limited for security reasons. This communication is essential for complex applications that require different processes to work together to perform tasks.

References := The Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) material covers various security technologies and how they can be used to protect systems, which includes the use of sandboxing to isolate and monitor potentially malicious code

The correct display filter for analyzing FTP traffic in a PCAP file is “tcp.port==21”. This filter will show all TCP packets where the port number is 21, which is the standard port for FTP control messages.

A buffer overflow attack occurs when more data is written to a buffer than it is designed to hold. This excess data can overwrite adjacent memory locations, leading to the execution of malicious code or crashing the system. Buffer overflows are a common vulnerability that attackers exploit to gain unauthorized access to systems.

References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS)

 Behavior-based detection monitors the behavior of programs in real-time. If a piece of software acts similarly to known malware after it’s been executed, behavior-based detection can stop it in its tracks. Signature-based detection involves searching for known patterns of data within executable code; if a pattern matches a “signature” in the system’s database that is considered malicious. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals

NIST Special Publication 800-61 r2 outlines the incident response process including detection and analysis, which involves identifying and validating the occurrence of incidents, and post-incident activity that focuses on lessons learned and improvements to be made after an incident has occurred. References := NIST Special Publication 800-61 r2

 Full packet capture provides the complete recording of all the packets that are transmitted over the network. This data is essential for in-depth analysis during an investigation, as it allows investigators to reconstruct the session, observe the content of the traffic, and determine if data exfiltration has occurred.

References: Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CBROPS) study materials would typically cover the importance of full packet capture in network forensics and incident response.

The difference between tampered and untampered disk images is:

• Tampered Images: These are disk images that have been altered or modified in some way after their initial creation. The stored hash and the computed hash will not match if the image has been tampered with.
• Untampered Images: These are disk images that have not been altered since their creation. They are considered authentic and reliable for forensic investigations. The stored hash and the computed hash will match, confirming that the image has remained unchanged.

Therefore, the correct answer is: D. Untampered images are used for forensic investigations.

 Agent-based protection is a type of endpoint security that uses software agents installed on the devices to monitor and protect them. Agent-based protection can collect and detect all traffic locally, which means it can operate without relying on a network connection or a centralized server. Agent-based protection can also provide more granular and comprehensive visibility and control over the devices. References: https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/understanding-cisco-cybersecurity-operations-fundamentals-cbrops-v1.0/CSCU-LP-CBROPS-V1-028093.html (Module 2: Security Concepts, Lesson 2.3: Endpoint Security)

After a breach has been discovered and the immediate threat has been addressed by identifying and removing the threat’s access, the next step according to the NIST SP 800-61 Incident Handling Guide is to recover from the threat. This involves restoring systems to normal operation, confirming that the systems are functioning normally, and applying patches or other remediation measures to prevent similar breaches in the future1.

References :=

• Understanding NIST SP 800-61: The Computer Security Incident Handling Guide

The exhibit shows a log of HTTP GET requests, one of which includes a suspicious string that is indicative of a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack. XSS attacks involve injecting malicious scripts into webpages viewed by other users. These scripts can be used to steal information, redirect users to malicious websites, or perform actions on behalf of the user without their consent. References: Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.3: Common Network Application Operations and Attacks, Topic 1.3.2: Web Application Attacks

A certificate authority (CA) is a trusted entity that issues and manages digital certificates for secure communication over the internet. A digital certificate is a document that contains the public key and the identity of the owner of the key. A CA impacts security by validating the domain identity of the SSL certificate, which is a type of digital certificate that enables encrypted communication between a web server and a web browser. The CA verifies that the domain name in the certificate matches the domain name of the web server, and signs the certificate with its own private key. The web browser can then verify the signature of the CA and trust the identity of the web server. References := Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals, Module 2: Security Monitoring, Lesson 2.3: Cryptography and PKI, Topic 2.3.2: Public Key InfrastructureReference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_authority

 In the context of incident response, the detection step involves identifying potential security incidents. The Security Operation Center (SOC) Analyst, which in this case is Employee 4, is typically responsible for monitoring and analyzing security alerts to detect suspicious activities such as brute-force attempts. Therefore, Employee 4 would be the stakeholder responsible for the incident response detection step. References: The role of a SOC Analyst in incident response is outlined in cybersecurity frameworks and best practices, which describe the responsibilities of various stakeholders in detecting and responding to security incidents.

Enabling the “Allow subdissector to reassemble TCP streams” feature in Wireshark allows the tool to reassemble TCP segments into a contiguous sequence, which can be used by higher-level protocols to reconstruct a full message, such as an HTTP request or response. This is particularly useful for extracting files or data transmitted over TCP that are spread across multiple packets1.

References := The explanation is based on the Wireshark documentation, which details how the reassembly feature works and its use in analyzing TCP streams