TPS Threat Assessment & Risk Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When conducting a vulnerability assessment of a facility, which factor is MOST important to evaluate first?
- The cost of security upgrades
- The existing security measures and their gaps (Correct answer)
- The number of employees on site
- The location of the nearest police station
Correct answer: The existing security measures and their gaps
Identifying existing security measures and their gaps establishes a baseline from which all other vulnerability analysis is conducted.
Question 2: A security officer notices an individual repeatedly photographing entry points and guard positions over several days. This behavior is BEST classified as:
- Normal tourist activity
- Pre-operational surveillance (Correct answer)
- Coincidental presence
- Random curiosity
Correct answer: Pre-operational surveillance
Repeated, systematic photography of security infrastructure and entry points is a classic indicator of pre-operational surveillance by a potential threat actor.
Question 3: In the CARVER threat assessment matrix, what does the letter 'R' represent?
- Risk level
- Recognizability of the target (Correct answer)
- Response time of security
- Resource requirements for attack
Correct answer: Recognizability of the target
In the CARVER matrix, 'R' stands for Recognizability — how easily a target can be identified by an adversary as worthy of attack.
Question 4: Which risk formula is most commonly used in security threat assessments?
- Risk = Threat × Consequence
- Risk = Threat × Vulnerability × Consequence (Correct answer)
- Risk = Probability + Impact
- Risk = Asset Value ÷ Threat Level
Correct answer: Risk = Threat × Vulnerability × Consequence
The standard risk formula used in security assessments is Risk = Threat × Vulnerability × Consequence, accounting for all three key variables.
Question 5: A 'red team' exercise in threat assessment involves:
- Training security staff in first aid
- Simulating adversarial attacks to test defenses (Correct answer)
- Reviewing incident logs from the past year
- Interviewing employees about safety concerns
Correct answer: Simulating adversarial attacks to test defenses
A red team exercise involves personnel simulating the role of adversaries to proactively identify weaknesses in security defenses.
Question 6: When assessing insider threats, which behavioral indicator is considered a HIGH-priority warning sign?
- Taking lunch breaks outside the building
- Accessing classified areas outside normal work hours repeatedly (Correct answer)
- Occasionally arriving late to work
- Using a personal phone during break time
Correct answer: Accessing classified areas outside normal work hours repeatedly
Repeated unauthorized or unusual access to restricted areas outside normal hours is a high-priority behavioral indicator of potential insider threat activity.
Question 7: In risk prioritization, what is the purpose of a 'risk matrix'?
- To assign security personnel to specific posts
- To visually rank risks by likelihood and impact for resource allocation (Correct answer)
- To document all past security incidents
- To calculate insurance premiums for the facility
Correct answer: To visually rank risks by likelihood and impact for resource allocation
A risk matrix visually plots risks by their likelihood and potential impact, enabling decision-makers to prioritize which threats require the most urgent attention.
TPS Threat Assessment & Risk Analysis 2
When conducting a vulnerability assessment of a facility, which factor is MOST important to evaluate first?