CAS-004 Exam Dumps - CompTIA CASP Questions and Answers

The data owner is best qualified to classify systems and data in accordance with external requirements. The data owner is responsible for determining how data should be classified based on its sensitivity, value, and regulatory requirements. They have the authority to decide on classification levels such as public, confidential, or secret, and ensure compliance with external standards. Other roles, like data custodians or processors, support the implementation of data management, but the data owner has the final responsibility for classification. CASP+ highlights the role of data owners in determining data classification and ensuring compliance with external requirements.

Record-level encryption is primarily used to protect sensitive information stored in specific fields within a database, such as personal data, financial information, or health records. This encryption method ensures that individual data entries are encrypted, providing a high level of security and privacy by making the data unreadable to unauthorized users or in the event of a database breach, while still allowing the database to be functional for authorized queries and operations.

The combination of DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) and SAST (Static Application Security Testing) would meet the developers' requirements. DAST is used for runtime testing, capable of simulating attacks like SQL injection and reflected XSS, which fulfills the first requirement. SAST analyzes the code statically to ensure that the application is not vulnerable to issues like memory leaks, fulfilling the second requirement. Implementing both will integrate security testing into the SDLC, addressing the security concerns earlier in the development cycle, as recommended in CASP+.

The primary risk for an organization working with vendors in different time zones is that support might not be available during the organization's regular business hours. This can lead to delays in receiving necessary support or assistance when equipment issues arise, which could be critical if there's an equipment failure.

To protect DNS from on-path attacks and ensure that zone transfers are mutually authenticated and secure, the security architect should configure DNSSEC and Public keys. DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) provides protection against DNS spoofing by digitally signing DNS data to ensure its integrity. Public keys are crucial for mutual authentication during zone transfers, ensuring that only authorized parties can exchange DNS zone data. Together, these options help meet both the requirements of securing DNS queries and authenticating zone transfers with cryptographic integrity.

The protocol described is Modbus, which is a commonly used industrial protocol that lacks built-in authentication and security features. Modbus operates in a client/server model and can be implemented over RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) or TCP/IP for communication between devices. The other protocols mentioned either have different characteristics or are used in different contexts (such as Profinet for industrial automation, Zigbee for wireless IoT devices, and Z-Wave for home automation). CASP+ identifies Modbus as a critical protocol in industrial environments that lacks security and requires additional protective measures.

In this case, the security engineer is assessing a web application that uses SAML, and dynamic analysis (also known as DAST – Dynamic Application Security Testing) is the most appropriate method toidentify potential authentication issues. Dynamic analysis tests the application in a runtime environment, allowing the engineer to identify vulnerabilities that arise during actual application execution, such as SAML misconfigurations or other authentication weaknesses. This is more effective for finding authentication issues compared to static analysis, which only reviews code without execution. CASP+ highlights the importance of dynamic testing in identifying real-world vulnerabilities, especially in web applications.

Using digital certificates for authentication is a secure method to control access to laptops and other devices. A device certificate can serve as an authenticator by providing a means for the device to prove its identity in a cryptographic manner. This certificate-based authentication is commonly used in enterprise environments for strong authentication.

NetFlow logs provide visibility into network traffic patterns and volume, which can be analyzed to detect anomalies, including potential security incidents. They can be invaluable in correlating the timing and nature of network events with security incidents to better understand if there is an association.

Introducing secure coding training directly addresses the root cause of recurring cross-site scripting issues by educating developers about secure practices. This aligns with CASP+ objective 1.5, which includes mitigating software vulnerabilities by fostering a secure development lifecycle and promoting best practices among development teams.

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Obfuscation is a technique used to make the program code difficult to understand or read. It can help to prevent reverse engineering by making it more challenging to analyze the code and understand its structure and functionality, thereby protecting intellectual property.

Comprehensive and Detailed in-Depth Explanation:

Understanding HTTPS Interception Attacks:

HTTPS interception attacks occur when aman-in-the-middle (MitM)interceptsHTTPS trafficbetween a client and a server.

Attackers can useproxy certificates, installmalicious root certificates, or use tools likeSSL strippingto compromise secure connections.

In mobile applications, attackers may exploittrusted root certificatesinstalled on devices to intercept and decrypt HTTPS traffic.

Why the Correct Answer is D (Certificate Pinning):

Certificate Pinningensures that the mobile applicationonly accepts a specific certificateorpublic keywhen communicating with the back-end server.

Even if an attacker installs amalicious root CA certificateon the device, the app willreject the intercepted or forged certificatebecause itdoes not match the pinned certificate.

Pinning effectivelyprevents HTTPS interceptionas it requires theexact certificate or keyrather than just any certificate signed by a trusted root.

How Certificate Pinning Works:

During development, the applicationstores a hash of the server’s certificateor public key.

Upon connection, the appcompares the received certificatewith the pinned hash.

If they do not match, the connection isterminated.

Example Implementation in Android (Java):

java

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HttpsURLConnection connection = (HttpsURLConnection) url.openConnection();

connection.setSSLSocketFactory(getPinnedSSLSocketFactory());

The getPinnedSSLSocketFactory() method uses ahard-coded or dynamically updated certificateto validate the server.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Cookies:

Cookies are used forsession managementanduser authentication.

They do not preventcertificate spoofingorHTTPS interception.

B. Wildcard certificates:

Wildcard certificates allow multiplesubdomainsto be covered under one certificate.

They do notprotect against MitM attacksand can actuallyincrease riskif compromised.

C. HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security):

HSTS ensures that a browser always usesHTTPSwhen connecting to a server.

Itprotects against SSL strippingbutdoes not defend against HTTPS interceptionwhen a malicious root certificate is present.

It is more suited forweb applicationsthan mobile apps.

Real-World Scenario:

A banking app usingcertificate pinningcan detect andblock fake certificatesinstalled by malicious actors.

Without pinning, users in environments with compromisedroot CAscould unknowingly connect tomalicious proxy servers.

Notably, some public Wi-Fi networks that performHTTPS interceptionfor monitoring would also fail to work with such apps, indicatingadded security.

Extract from CompTIA SecurityX CAS-005 Study Guide:

TheCompTIA SecurityX CAS-005 Official Study Guidehighlights thatcertificate pinningis crucial formobile applicationsthat rely onREST APIs. It provides robust defense againstHTTPS interceptionby strictly validating the server’s certificate. This practice is recommended especially when dealing withsensitive data transmission.

•ChaCha20: A stream cipher suited for real-time bitstream authentication and encryption.

•RIPEMD: A hashing algorithm useful for file integrity checks during large file transfers.

This aligns with CASP+ objective 3.2, focusing on selecting appropriate cryptographic methods for secure data handling and transmission.

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The best approach to reduce the company's risk is to segregate the enterprise IT servers and supervisory industrial systems. Creating a new network segment and using a Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) to enforce a strict segmentation policy will help to isolate the systems and protect against potential attacks. Additionally, implementing a Wireless Intrusion Detection System (WIDS) can help monitor the spectrum for unauthorized devices or interference.

An API gateway is a device or software that acts as an intermediary between clients and servers that provide web services through application programming interfaces (APIs). An API gateway can provide various functions such as:

Terminating SSL connections at a central location, reducing the overhead on the backend servers and simplifying certificate management

Managing both authentication and authorization for incoming and outgoing web service calls, enforcing security policies and access control

Advertising the web service API, providing documentation and discovery features for developers and consumers

Implementing DLP and anti-malware features, preventing data leakage and malicious code injection A web application firewall (WAF) is a device or software that filters and blocks malicious web traffic from reaching an application. A WAF can provide some protection for web services, but it does not provide all the functions of an API gateway. An XML gateway is a device or software that validates, transforms, and routes XML messages between clients and servers that provide web services. An XML gateway can provide some functions of an API gateway, but it is limited to XML-based web services and does not support other formats such as JSON. An enterprise service bus (ESB) gateway is a device or software that integrates and orchestrates multiple web services into a single service or application. An ESB gateway can provide some functions of an API gateway, but it is more focused on business logic and workflow rather than security and performance. References: [CompTIA Advanced SecurityPractitioner (CASP+) Certification Exam Objectives], Domain 2: Enterprise Security Architecture, Objective 2.3: Implement solutions for the secure use of cloud services