CSA Network and Security Administration 3

Question 1

Which authentication protocol sends credentials in plaintext and should never be used over untrusted networks?

Accepted Answer

PAP

Answer

PAP (Password Authentication Protocol) transmits usernames and passwords in cleartext, making it vulnerable to interception.

Question 2

What does the 'least privilege' security principle require?

Accepted Answer

Users receive only the minimum access needed for their role

Answer

Least privilege limits each user or process to only the permissions required to perform their function, reducing the attack surface.

Question 3

A subnet has the address 192.168.10.0/26. How many usable host addresses does it provide?

Accepted Answer

62

Answer

A /26 subnet has 64 total addresses (2^6), minus 2 for network and broadcast, leaving 62 usable host addresses.

Question 4

Which log file on a Linux system records successful and failed authentication attempts?

Accepted Answer

/var/log/auth.log

Answer

/var/log/auth.log (or /var/log/secure on RHEL-based systems) captures PAM, sudo, and SSH authentication events.

Question 5

What is the main function of a Certificate Authority (CA) in a PKI environment?

Accepted Answer

Issue and sign digital certificates to verify identity

Answer

A CA is a trusted entity that issues digital certificates and digitally signs them to verify the identity of certificate holders.

(CSA) Certified System Administrator Practice Test