Information Security Basics Flashcards
7 cards from real CSI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Information Security Basics flashcards as text
What is a 'man-in-the-middle' (MITM) attack?
Answer: An attacker secretly intercepts and potentially alters communications between two parties
In a MITM attack, the attacker secretly positions themselves between two communicating parties, intercepting and potentially modifying their exchange.
Which of the following BEST describes a zero-day vulnerability?
Answer: A vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor and has no existing patch
A zero-day vulnerability is a previously unknown flaw for which no patch exists; attackers can exploit it before the vendor has any opportunity to fix it.
A security policy requiring passwords to be changed every 90 days is an example of which type of control?
Answer: Administrative control
Password change policies are administrative (procedural) controls — management directives and procedures rather than technical or physical mechanisms.
In the context of a security investigation, what does log analysis primarily help investigators determine?
Answer: The sequence of events, timeline, and actions taken during an incident
Log analysis allows investigators to reconstruct the timeline of an incident, identifying what happened, when, and in what sequence.
Which of the following describes a phishing attack?
Answer: Sending deceptive messages that appear legitimate to trick users into revealing credentials
Phishing uses deceptive emails or messages that mimic trusted entities to trick recipients into providing credentials or clicking malicious links.
What is the primary function of a firewall in a network security architecture?
Answer: To monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on rules
A firewall enforces a set of rules that permit or deny network traffic, acting as a barrier between trusted internal networks and untrusted external networks.
Which concept refers to the process of converting data into an unreadable format that can only be decoded with the correct key?
Answer: Encryption
Encryption transforms plaintext into ciphertext using an algorithm and key; only those with the correct decryption key can restore the original data.