Security Frameworks and Compliance

1. What does "attack surface" mean?

• A. The physical area of a server room
• B. The total number of different points where an attacker could try to enter or extract data ✓
• C. The strength of a firewall
• D. The number of security vulnerabilities

💡 The attack surface is all the possible entry points an attacker could exploit — reducing it is a core principle of security hardening.

2. What is "threat intelligence"?

• A. Guessing about threats
• B. Collecting and analyzing information about current and emerging cyber threats to make informed security decisions ✓
• C. A type of penetration testing
• D. A firewall feature

💡 Threat intelligence gathers data about attackers, their tools, techniques, and procedures to help organizations proactively defend against threats.

3. What is "ISO 27001"?

• A. A network protocol
• B. An international standard for establishing and managing information security management systems (ISMS) ✓
• C. A type of encryption
• D. A hardware security standard

💡 ISO 27001 is the international standard specifying requirements for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an information security management system.

4. What is "least privilege principle"?

• A. Giving users maximum access
• B. Granting users only the minimum access rights necessary to perform their job functions ✓
• C. Restricting all user access
• D. A type of authentication

💡 Least privilege limits user access to only what is needed for their role, minimizing the potential damage from breaches or insider threats.

5. What does "SOC" stand for in cybersecurity?

• A. System Operations Center
• B. Security Operations Center — a team monitoring and responding to security incidents ✓
• C. Software Operations Control
• D. Secure Online Communication

💡 A SOC is a centralized unit staffed with security analysts who continuously monitor, detect, and respond to cybersecurity threats.

6. What is "business continuity planning" (BCP)?

• A. Day-to-day business planning
• B. A strategy ensuring critical business functions continue during and after a disaster or cyber attack ✓
• C. A financial planning process
• D. A marketing strategy

💡 BCP ensures an organization can continue operating essential functions during disruptions like cyberattacks, natural disasters, or system failures.

7. What is the NIST Cybersecurity Framework?

• A. A government hacking tool
• B. A voluntary framework of standards and best practices for managing cybersecurity risk ✓
• C. A mandatory security law
• D. A type of antivirus

💡 The NIST CSF provides organizations with a common language and systematic approach to managing and reducing cybersecurity risk.

8. What is "GDPR"?

• A. A type of firewall
• B. General Data Protection Regulation — EU law protecting personal data and privacy rights ✓
• C. A cybersecurity certification
• D. A network security standard

💡 GDPR is the European Union's comprehensive data protection law giving individuals control over their personal data and imposing obligations on organizations.

9. What is "SIEM" in cybersecurity?

• A. Security Information and Event Management — collecting and analyzing security data for threat detection ✓
• B. A type of firewall
• C. Security Interface Encryption Module
• D. A penetration testing tool

💡 SIEM systems collect, aggregate, and analyze security event data from across an organization to detect threats and support incident response.

10. What does the "CIA triad" stand for in cybersecurity?

• A. Central Intelligence Agency
• B. Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability — the three core principles of information security ✓
• C. Computer Information Architecture
• D. Cyber Intelligence Assessment

💡 The CIA triad represents the three pillars of security: keeping data private (confidentiality), accurate (integrity), and accessible (availability).

11. What is "data classification"?

• A. Organizing data alphabetically
• B. Categorizing data by sensitivity level to apply appropriate security controls ✓
• C. A type of encryption
• D. A backup strategy

💡 Data classification categorizes information (public, internal, confidential, top secret) so appropriate security controls can be applied to each level.

12. What is "risk assessment" in cybersecurity?

• A. Assessing financial risks only
• B. Identifying, analyzing, and evaluating security risks to prioritize mitigation efforts ✓
• C. A type of penetration test
• D. A compliance checklist

💡 Risk assessment identifies potential threats, their likelihood, and impact to help organizations prioritize their security investments.

13. What is "vulnerability management"?

• A. Creating new vulnerabilities
• B. A continuous process of identifying, classifying, and remediating security vulnerabilities ✓
• C. A type of penetration testing
• D. A firewall configuration process

💡 Vulnerability management is an ongoing cycle of discovering vulnerabilities through scanning, assessing their risk, and applying patches or mitigations.

14. What is "security awareness training"?

• A. Technical security training for IT staff only
• B. Educating all employees about cybersecurity threats and safe practices ✓
• C. A type of penetration testing
• D. A compliance audit

💡 Security awareness training educates all staff about threats like phishing, safe password practices, and how to report suspicious activity.

15. What is "incident response"?

• A. Responding to customer complaints
• B. A structured approach to handling and managing the aftermath of a security breach or attack ✓
• C. A type of penetration testing
• D. A backup procedure

💡 Incident response is a planned approach to addressing security incidents — containing damage, investigating, recovering, and preventing recurrence.