CISSP Practice Questions: Application Security
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
The Application Security domain is concerned with the security controls used by applications during their design, development, and use. Individuals studying this domain should understand the security and controls of application security, which includes the systems development process, application controls, and knowledge-based systems. Test candidates should also understand the concepts used to ensure data and application integrity. The following list gives you some specific areas of knowledge to be familiar with for the CISSP exam:
- SDLC (system development life cycle)
- Change (life cycle) management
- Database security
- Artificial Intelligence systems
- Malware
Practice Questions
-
Which of the following is not a valid database management system model?
A.
The hierarchical database management system
B.
The structured database management system
C.
The network database management system
D.
The relational database management system
-
During which stage of the system’s development life cycle should security be implemented?
A.
Development
B.
Project initiation
C.
Deployment
D.
Installation
-
In which system development life cycle phase do the programmers and developers become deeply involved and do the majority of the work?
A.
System Design Specifications
B.
Software Development
C.
Operation and Maintenance
D.
Functional Design Analysis and Planning
-
In the system development life cycle, what is used to maintain changes to development or production?
A.
Certification
B.
Audit control team
C.
Manufacturing review board
D.
Change control
-
What is the most-used type of database management system?
A.
The hierarchical database management system
B.
The structured database management system
C.
The network database management system
D.
The relational database management system
-
Place the system development life cycle phases in the proper order.
A.
Initiation, software development, functional design analysis, operation, installation, disposal
B.
Initiation, software development, functional design analysis, installation, operation, disposal
C.
Initiation, functional design analysis, software development, installation, operation, disposal
D.
Initiation, functional design analysis, software development, operation, installation, disposal
-
Which of the following statements about Java applets is correct?
A.
They are downloaded from a server.
B.
They are not restricted in computer memory.
C.
They are run from the browser.
D.
They are executed by your system.
-
Which of the following is a valid system development methodology?
A.
The spring model
B.
The spiral model
C.
The production model
D.
The Gantt model
-
Which of the following best describes the Waterfall model?
A.
The Waterfall model states that development is built one stage at a time, at which point the results flow to the next stage.
B.
The Waterfall model states that development should progress in a parallel fashion, with a strong change control process being used to validate the process.
C.
The Waterfall model states that the development process proceeds in a series of discrete steps, each completed before proceeding to the next.
D.
The Waterfall model states that all the various phases of software development should proceed at the same time.
-
Your friend is trying to learn more about databases and their structure. She wants to know what a tuple is.
A.
A description of the structure of the database
B.
A “row” in a relational database that might be viewed as being similar to a “record” in a flat file
C.
An ordered set of values within a row in the database table
D.
Something that uniquely identifies each row in a table
-
Which of the system development life cycle phases is the point at which new systems need to be configured and steps need to be taken to make sure that security features are being used in the intended way?
A.
System Design Specifications
B.
Operation and Maintenance
C.
Functional Design Analysis and Planning
D.
Installation and Implementation
-
Your CISSP study group has asked you to research information about databases. Specifically, they want you to describe what metadata is. What is your response?
A.
Metadata is data that describes data.
B.
Metadata is the data used in knowledge-based systems.
C.
Metadata is used for fraud detection.
D.
Metadata is the data used for metadictionaries.
-
Jamie, your assistant, is taking some classes on database controls and security features. She wants to know what aggregation is. How will you answer her?
A.
It is the process of combining data into large groups that can be used for data mining.
B.
It is the process of combining security privileges to gain access to objects that would normally be beyond your level of rights.
C.
It is the process of combining items of low sensitivity to produce an item of high sensitivity.
D.
It is the process of combining several databases to view a virtual table.
-
What term describes users’ ability to infer or deduce information about data at sensitivity levels for which they do not have access privileges or rights?
A.
Views
B.
Inference
C.
Channeled view
D.
Presumption
-
Which of the following best describes a database schema?
A.
The structure of the database
B.
The capability of different versions of the same information to exist at different classification levels within the database
C.
An ordered set of values within a row in the database table
D.
Something that uniquely identifies each row in a table
-
Which type of malware is considered self-replicating?
A.
Boot sector
B.
Meme virus
C.
Script virus
D.
Worm
-
Ashwin is building your company’s new data warehouse. In a meeting, he said, “Data in the data warehouse needs to be normalized.” What does this mean?
A.
Data is divided by a common value.
B.
Data is restricted to a range of values.
C.
Data is averaged.
D.
Redundant data is removed.
-
Which of the following best describes the term “data dictionary”?
A.
A dictionary for programmers
B.
A database of databases
C.
A virtual table of the rows and tables from two or more combined databases
D.
A dictionary used within a database
-
Which of the following best describes data mining?
A.
The use of data to analyze trends and support strategic decisions
B.
The use of data to determine how the information was collected and formatted
C.
The process of querying databases for metadata
D.
The process of adjusting the granularity of a database search
-
Jerry has top-secret access to a database and can see that the USS Yorktown has left for Iraq. Ted has only public access to the same database. He can see that the ship has left port. However, the record shows that it is bound for Spain. What is this called?
A.
Polyinstantiation
B.
Tuple
C.
Schema
D.
Knowledgebase system
-
Which of the system development life cycle phases is the point at which a project plan is developed, test schedules are assigned, and expectations of the product are outlined?
A.
Software Development
B.
Functional Design Analysis and Planning
C.
Project Initiation
D.
System Design Specifications
-
Data checks and validity checks are examples of what type of application controls?
A.
Preventive
B.
Constructive
C.
Detective
D.
Corrective
-
Which of the following is not a valid form of application control?
A.
Preventive
B.
Constructive
C.
Detective
D.
Corrective
-
What document guarantees the quality of a service to a subscriber by a network service provider, setting standards on response times, available bandwidth, and system up times?
A.
Service level agreement
B.
Service agreement
C.
Business continuity agreement
D.
Business provider agreement
-
Which of the following is not one of the three main components of a SQL database?
A.
Views
B.
Schemas
C.
Tables
D.
Object-oriented interfaces
-
Cyclic redundancy checks, structured walk-throughs, and hash totals are examples of what type of application controls?
A.
Detective
B.
Preventive
C.
Error checking
D.
Parity
-
Christine has been alerted by her IDS that a web server on her network was attacked. While examining a trace of the ICMP traffic, she noticed that the attacker’s packets were addressed to the network broadcast address and were spoofed to be from her web server. What type of attack has she been subjected to?
A.
Smurf
B.
LAND
C.
Fraggle
D.
SYN flood
-
Which of the following best describes the OS protection mechanism that mediates all access that subjects have to objects to ensure that the subjects have the necessary rights to access the objects?
A.
Accountability control
B.
Reference monitor
C.
Security kernel
D.
Security perimeter
-
Which of the following describes mobile code?
A.
Code that can be used on a handheld device
B.
Code that can be used on several different platforms, such as Windows, Mac, and Linux
C.
Code that can be executed within a network browser
D.
A script that can be executed within an Office document
-
Black Hat Bob has just attacked Widget, Inc.’s network. Although the attack he perpetrated did not give him access to the company’s network, it did prevent legitimate users from gaining access to network resources. What type of attack did he launch?
A.
Spoofing
B.
TOC/TOU
C.
ICMP redirect
D.
DoS
-
Java-enabled web browsers allow Java code to be embedded in a web page, downloaded across the Net, and run on a local computer. This makes the security of the local computer a big concern. With this in mind, how does the Java runtime system ensure secure execution of the Java code?
A.
Digital certificates
B.
Sandbox
C.
Applet boundaries
D.
Defense-in-depth
-
Chandra wants to learn more about the Software Capability Maturity Model. Help her put the five levels of this model in the proper order, from 1 to 5.
A.
Initiating, defined, repeatable, optimizing, managed
B.
Initiating, defined, repeatable, managed, optimizing
C.
Initiating, repeatable, defined, managed, optimizing
D.
Initiating, repeatable, defined, optimizing, managed
-
Which of the following Software CMM levels is the step at which project management processes and practices are institutionalized and locked into place by policies, procedures, and guidelines?
A.
Defined
B.
Repeatable
C.
Initiating
D.
Managed
-
Which of the following technologies establishes a trust relationship between the client and the server by using digital certificates to guarantee that the server is trusted?
A.
ActiveX
B.
Java
C.
Proxy
D.
Agent
-
What is the process of cataloging all versions of a component configuration called?
A.
The configuration library
B.
The component library
C.
The catalog database
D.
The software component library
-
Which of the following best describes a covert storage channel?
A.
It is a communication channel that violates normal communication channels.
B.
It is a storage process that writes to storage in an unauthorized manner that typically is undetectable and written through an unsecure channel.
C.
It is a communication path that allows two processes to access the same storage and allows the contents to be read through a separate, less-secure channel.
D.
It is a storage process that requires the application of a root kit.
-
Which of the following is not one of the three ways in which inference can be achieved?
A.
Preventive
B.
Deductive
C.
Abductive
D.
Statistical
-
Raj has been studying database security features. He reads that two control policies are used to protect relational databases. He remembers that one is MAC, but he has forgotten the second one. Which one is it?
A.
PAC
B.
DAC
C.
SAC
D.
RBAC
-
Boyd just downloaded a game from a peer-to-peer network. Although the game seemed to install OK, his computer now is acting strangely. The mouse cursor moves by itself, URLs are opening on their own, and his web camera keeps turning itself on. What has happened?
A.
A logic bomb was installed.
B.
A RAT (Remote-Access Trojan) was installed.
C.
A DDoS client was installed.
D.
An email virus was installed.
-
What is the goal of CRM?
A.
To learn the behavior and buying habits of your customers
B.
To search for recurrences in data that can aid in making predictions about future events
C.
To uncover events that are interconnected
D.
To hunt for instances of events that are followed up by other events after a certain period
-
What technology is based on the methods by which the human brain is believed to work?
A.
Neutron networks
B.
Fuzzy logic
C.
Neuron networks
D.
Neural technology
-
Now that your organization is preparing to retire its mainframe systems, you have been asked to look at a distributed system as the replacement. What five requirements should a distributed system meet?
A.
Interoperability, scalability, transparency, extensibility, control
B.
Interoperability, portability, transparency, extensibility, security
C.
Interoperability, portability, transparency, extensibility, control
D.
Interoperability, scalability, transparency, extensibility, security
-
George receives an email that did not come from the individual listed in the email. What is the process of changing email message names to look as though they came from someone else?
A.
Spoofing
B.
Masquerading
C.
Relaying
D.
Redirecting
-
Raj is still studying database design and security. Can you tell him what cardinality means?
A.
The number of rows in a relation
B.
The number of fields in a relation
C.
The number of attributes in a field
D.
The number of attributes in a relation
-
Wes asks you to help him prepare a practice test for your CISSP study group. Can you tell him which of the following relationships is incorrect?
A.
Relation = table
B.
Record = attribute
C.
Tuple = row
D.
Attribute = column
-
Joey has been reading about databases and application security. He has asked you to define perturbation for him. Which of the following offers the best answer?
A.
It is used to protect against polyinstantiation.
B.
It is a tool used to prevent aggregation.
C.
It is a tool used to aid in data mining.
D.
It is a tool used to fight inference attacks.
-
SubSeven and NetBus typically are placed in which of the following categories?
A.
Virus
B.
Trapdoor
C.
Backdoor
D.
Malware
-
Jennifer’s network has been hit by the following attack pattern: The attacker made many connection attempts to FTP. Each time, the handshake was not completed, and the source addresses were spoofed. The result was that legitimate users could not FTP to that computer. Which type of attack does this attack pattern match?
A.
ACK attack
B.
Teardrop
C.
Fraggle
D.
SYN flood
-
What is the point in the system development life cycle phase at which information may need to be archived or discarded and a team may be assembled to examine ways to improve subsequent iterations of this or other products?
A.
Revision and Replacement
B.
Functional Design Analysis and Planning
C.
Disposal and Postmortem Review
D.
System Design Specifications
-
Which type of virus can spread by multiple methods?
A.
Multipartite
B.
Polymorphic
C.
Double partite
D.
Prolific
-
Polyinstantiation is a solution used by which of the following to remedy multiparty update conflicts?
A.
Database locking
B.
SODA
C.
GREP
D.
Belief-based model
-
The following security labels exist on a network operating in a multilevel security mode:
Label
Jack
John
File A
File B
File C
File D
Sensitivity
Top-Secret
Secret
Secret
Secret
Top-Secret
Top-Secret
Categories
North
East
East
East
East
North
South
West
West
West
East
West
Jack edits file B and file C simultaneously and then saves both. Which files can John now access?
A.
Files A, B, C, and D
B.
Files A, B, and C
C.
Files A and B
D.
File A
-
Which generation of code development is most likely to focus on constraints?
A.
Generation 5
B.
Generation 4
C.
Generation 3
D.
Generation 2
-
The network administrator has been analyzing network reports and is convinced that the network has been the victim of a SYN flooding DoS attack. What evidence might have been discovered that would support this conclusion?
A.
Customers reporting that their connection requests were rerouted to a malicious web server
B.
The web server crashing with each request
C.
Excessive traffic on the front-end load-balancing servers
D.
IDS logs of incoming malformed packets
-
Which language, when used for development of your company’s front-end application, results in a program that is least likely to have vulnerable code?
A.
Machine code
B.
Assembler code
C.
C code
D.
SQL code
-
In your corporation, it is critical that the metadata surrounding business data be revealed to only the proper authorities, even though all employees require access to the business data. Access to the metadata is being controlled through the use of views so that only the appropriate authorities have deeper access. What is this technique called?
A.
Encapsulation
B.
Polymorphism
C.
Instantiation
D.
Abstraction
-
To prevent covert channels via race conditions, it is critical that software modules be able to execute independently of each other. What is this called?
A.
Low coupling and low cohesion
B.
Low coupling and high cohesion
C.
High coupling and low cohesion
D.
High coupling and high cohesion
-
Expert systems use forward and reverse chaining that is based on what?
A.
The inference engine
B.
Certainty factors
C.
The rulebase
D.
Neural structures
-
What is the most common problem related to audit logs?
A.
Audit logs can be examined only by auditors.
B.
Audit logs use parsing tools that distort the true record of events.
C.
Audit logs are not backed up.
D.
Audit logs are collected but not analyzed.
-
When you’re dealing with mobile code and wireless devices, many security issues can arise. For example, when you’re working with wireless devices that are using Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), which of the following is the primary security concern?
A.
WAP is not a secure protocol.
B.
The web server that the wireless device is communicating with via SSL may have vulnerabilities.
C.
The wireless device may have vulnerabilities in its OS.
D.
The WAP gateway can be targeted by attackers.
-
Which generation(s) of code is/are most likely to focus on the logic of the algorithms?
A.
Generation 5
B.
Generations 2, 3, and 4
C.
Generations 1 and 2
D.
Generations 1 and 5
-
Which type of database combines related records and fields into a logical tree structure?
A.
Relational
B.
Hierarchical
C.
Object-oriented
D.
Network
-
What type of database is unique because it can have multiple records that can be either parent or child?
A.
Relational
B.
Hierarchical
C.
Object-oriented
D.
Network
-
Your colleague wants to know when is the best point within the system development life cycle (SDLC) to create a list of potential security issues. What do you tell her?
A.
Feasibility
B.
Development
C.
Design
D.
Requirements
-
Which of the following are correct?
- The object linking and embedding database (OLE DB) is a replacement for open database connectivity (ODBC).
- ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) is an API that allows applications to access back-end database systems.
- Java Database Connectivity is a markup standard that is self-defining and provides a lot of flexibility in how data within the database is presented.
- The data definition language (DDL) defines the structure and schema of the database.
A.
I and IV
B.
II, III, and IV
C.
I, II, III, and IV
D.
I, II, and IV
-
How can referential integrity best be defined?
A.
Structural and semantic rules are enforced.
B.
Semantic rules are enforced.
C.
Structural rules are enforced.
D.
All foreign keys reference existing primary keys.
-
Lenny is trying to determine how much money a new employee makes. His job in HR allows him to see total payroll by department but not by person. The individual he is curious about just started a month ago, so Lenny simply compares that department’s previous month’s total salary to the current month’s total salary. What has Lenny just done?
A.
Enumeration
B.
An inference attack
C.
Polyinstantiation
D.
Online transaction processing (OLTP)
-
While browsing the company directory, you notice that your address is incorrect. To rectify the situation, you decide to modify the database that holds this information. Although the change seems to work, you notice later that the information has reverted to the previous, incorrect information. What do you believe is the source of the problem?
A.
The user does not have modification rights.
B.
The schema does not allow changes from the user’s machine.
C.
Someone in personnel has put a lock on the cell.
D.
Replication integrity is inaccurate due to mismatched times.
-
Knowledge discovery is also known what?
A.
Data warehousing
B.
Metadata
C.
Data mining
D.
Atomicity
-
Which of the following statements are true?
- Data definition language (DDL) allows users to make requests of the database.
- Data manipulation language (DML) maintains the commands that enable a user to view, manipulate, and use the database.
- Query language (QL) defines the structure and schema of the database. The structure could mean the table size, key placement, views, and data element relationship.
- The report generator creates printouts of data in a user-defined manner.
A.
I and II
B.
II and IV
C.
II, III, and IV
D.
I, II, III, and IV
-
Jim’s new job at the headquarters of a major grocery store has him examining buyer trends. He uses the database to find a relationship between beer and diapers. He discovers that men over 20 are the primary buyers of these two items together after 10 p.m. What best describes Jim’s actions?
A.
Data warehousing
B.
Metadata
C.
Data mining
D.
Atomicity
-
Your application developer has created a new module for a customer-tracking system. This module will result in greater productivity. The application has been examined and tested by a second person in the development group. A summary of the test shows no problems. Based on the results, which of the following is not a recommended best practice?
A.
The new code should be passed to quality assurance personnel so that they can certify the application.
B.
The application should be placed into operations and implemented.
C.
An accrediting official should wait for the results of certification.
D.
All changes must be logged in the change management database (CMDB).
-
Which of the following describes verification and validation?
A.
Verification verifies that the product meets specifications. Validation is the completion of the certification and accreditation process.
B.
Verification measures how well the program or application solves a real-world problem. Validation verifies that the product meets specifications.
C.
Verification verifies that the product meets specifications. Validation measures how well the program or application solves a real-world problem.
D.
Verification verifies that the program or application meets certification requirements. Validation verifies that the product received accreditation.
-
You have been assigned to modify an application to address a specific problem with the current release of the program. When the change is complete, you notice that other modules that should not have been affected appear to be nonfunctional. What do you believe is the cause?
A.
The module has low cohesion.
B.
The module has high cohesion.
C.
The module is tightly coupled.
D.
The module is loosely coupled.
-
Jake has become concerned that a citizen programmer in the group has developed code for others in the department. What should be your primary concern?
A.
That the programs are tested by others in the department
B.
That the programs have not been certified and verified
C.
That a copy of the code is held in a library
D.
That the code is adequately commented
-
Which of the following statements is most correct?
A.
Relational database parents can have only one child.
B.
A relational database is designed so that a child can have only one parent.
C.
A hierarchical database is designed so that a parent can have only one child.
D.
A hierarchical database is designed so that a child can have only one parent.
-
What level of the capability maturity model features quantitative process improvement?
A.
Managed
B.
Defined
C.
Repeatable
D.
Optimized
-
Your company has just signed a software escrow agreement. Which of the following best describes this document?
A.
An offsite backup
B.
A form of maintenance agreement
C.
A form of insurance
D.
A clustered software service
-
With regard to database operations, canceling a set of changes and restoring the database to its prior state is called what?
A.
Savepoint
B.
Commit
C.
Rollback
D.
Audit point
-
The capability maturity model features five maturity levels that begin with initial. What is the proper order of the remaining four levels?
A.
Repeatable, defined, managed, optimized
B.
Managed, repeatable, defined, optimized
C.
Repeatable, managed, defined, optimized
D.
Defined, optimized, repeatable, managed
-
Data that describes other data is called what?
A.
Metadata
B.
Nonatomic data
C.
Data structure
D.
Transaction processing
-
In which database model do you perceive the database as a set of tables that are composed of rows and columns?
A.
Hierarchical
B.
Network
C.
Relational
D.
Object
-
With a relational database management system, you can constrain what a particular application or user sees by using what?
A.
Schema
B.
Device media control language (DMCL)
C.
Data mine
D.
Database view
-
Security controls must be considered at which phases of the system life cycle?
A.
Design analysis, software development, installation, and implementation
B.
Project initiation, software development, and operation maintenance
C.
Design specifications
D.
All of the above
-
The change control process is structured so that various steps must be completed to verify that no undocumented, unapproved, or untested changes are implemented. Which of the following is the final step?
A.
Configure the hardware properly.
B.
Update documentation and manuals.
C.
Inform users of the change.
D.
Report the change to management.
-
You have been asked to develop an advanced program that will interact with users. You have been asked to look at knowledge-based systems. As such, expert systems use what type of information to make a decision?
A.
if...then statements
B.
Weighted computations
C.
A process similar to that used by the human brain (reasoning)
D.
Weighted computations based on previous results
-
Which of the following is considered a middleware technology?
A.
Atomicity
B.
OLE
C.
CORBA
D.
Object-oriented programming
-
The CMMI contains how many process areas?
A.
4
B.
5
C.
20
D.
22
-
At which level of the CMM are processes likely to be variable (inconsistent) and depend heavily on institutional knowledge?
A.
Level 1
B.
Level 2
C.
Level 3
D.
Level 4
-
When dealing with expert systems, which of the following are valid methods for reasoning when using inference rules?
- Forward chaining
- Knowledge transparency
- Backward chaining
- Knowledge representation
A.
II
B.
I and III
C.
I and IV
D.
I, II, III, and IV