100 Cyber Security MCQs – Best 100 MCQs

Correct Answer: B. To protect information and systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. Cyber Security aims to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and systems.

Correct Answer: D. Authenticity. The CIA Triad focuses on Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Authenticity, while important, is not part of the core triad.

Correct Answer: B. A potential danger that can exploit a vulnerability to breach security and cause harm. A cyber threat represents a potential danger that could exploit vulnerabilities to compromise security.

Correct Answer: B. Because cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated and frequent, and can cause significant financial and reputational damage. Cyber attacks are on the rise, and their potential impact necessitates robust Cyber Security measures.

Correct Answer: B. Ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts files and demands payment for their release.

Correct Answer: C. A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity. Phishing relies on deception to trick users into revealing sensitive information.

Correct Answer: A. Denial of Service (DoS) Attack. DoS attacks disrupt services by flooding a target with traffic or requests.

Correct Answer: A. Intercepts and potentially alters communication between two parties without their knowledge. MitM attacks position the attacker in the middle of a communication channel, allowing them to eavesdrop or manipulate data.

Correct Answer: B. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). XSS attacks exploit vulnerabilities in web applications to execute malicious scripts in users’ browsers.

Correct Answer: B. An attack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability. Zero-day attacks are particularly dangerous because there’s no known patch or defense available.

Correct Answer: D. Encryption. Encryption is a security measure, not a social engineering technique.

Correct Answer: A. A DoS attack uses a single source, while a DDoS attack uses multiple sources. DDoS attacks are distributed, making them harder to defend against.

Correct Answer: B. To protect data confidentiality and integrity. Cryptography uses encryption and decryption to secure data.

Correct Answer: A. Symmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption uses a shared secret key.

Correct Answer: C. To create a unique fingerprint of data. Hash functions produce a fixed-size output (hash) from any input data.

Correct Answer: C. It provides a secure way to exchange keys. Asymmetric encryption uses a pair of keys (public and private) for secure key exchange.

Correct Answer: A. To manage and distribute digital certificates. PKI provides a framework for managing digital certificates used for authentication and encryption.

Correct Answer: A. To prevent unauthorized access to a network. Firewalls act as a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks.

Correct Answer: D. Firewall-based IDS/IPS. Firewalls are separate network security devices, not a type of IDS/IPS.

Correct Answer: A. To create a secure connection over a public network. VPNs create encrypted tunnels for secure communication over the internet.

Correct Answer: A. Secure Socket Layer and Transport Layer Security. SSL and TLS are cryptographic protocols used to secure communication over networks.

Correct Answer: A. To divide a network into smaller, isolated segments to improve security and performance. Network segmentation limits the impact of a breach by containing it to a smaller area.

Correct Answer: B. To configure it securely by disabling unnecessary services, applying updates, and implementing strong access controls. Hardening reduces the attack surface of an operating system.

Correct Answer: A. To keep software up-to-date and address security vulnerabilities. Patch management is crucial for fixing security flaws in software.

Correct Answer: C. Sharing passwords with colleagues. Sharing passwords compromises security and should be avoided.

Correct Answer: A. To ensure that systems and applications are configured in accordance with security best practices. Secure configuration helps minimize vulnerabilities and protect against attacks.

Correct Answer: A. To track user activity and identify potential security incidents. Logs provide valuable information for security monitoring and incident response.

Correct Answer: A. Buffer overflow. Buffer overflows can be exploited to execute malicious code.

Correct Answer: A. Granting users only the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job functions. The principle of least privilege helps limit the potential damage from a compromised account.

Correct Answer: C. Increased complexity. Hardening can sometimes increase complexity, but the security benefits outweigh this drawback.

Correct Answer: A. To collect, store, and analyze security logs from various sources. SIEM systems centralize log data for threat detection and incident response.

Correct Answer: D. Data encryption. Data encryption is a separate security measure, not a core component of SIEM.

Correct Answer: A. By providing real-time alerts and enabling faster identification and containment of security incidents. SIEM facilitates incident response by providing timely information and context.

Correct Answer: A. To identify weaknesses in systems and applications. Vulnerability scanners automate the process of finding security flaws.

Correct Answer: A. A vulnerability scan only identifies vulnerabilities, while a penetration test attempts to exploit them. Penetration testing goes beyond identification to actively try to exploit vulnerabilities.

Correct Answer: D. Patch management. Patch management is a separate security process, not part of penetration testing.

Correct Answer: A. To simulate real-world attacks and identify vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Ethical hackers use their skills for good to improve security.

Correct Answer: A. It compares files against a database of known malware signatures. Signature-based detection is effective against known threats but can miss new malware.

Correct Answer: A. It analyzes file behavior to detect suspicious activity that may indicate malware, even if it doesn’t match a known signature. Heuristic detection helps identify new or unknown malware.

Correct Answer: A. To continuously monitor system activity and block threats as they occur. Real-time protection provides proactive defense against malware.

Correct Answer: A. Security measures implemented on individual devices, such as laptops, desktops, and mobile devices, to protect them from threats. Endpoint security focuses on protecting individual devices from attacks.

Correct Answer: A. To prevent sensitive data from being lost or leaked. DLP solutions help organizations control and protect their sensitive information.

Correct Answer: C. Firewall. While some antivirus suites may include a firewall, it’s not a core feature of all antivirus software.

Correct Answer: A. When a legitimate file is incorrectly identified as malware. False positives can be disruptive, but they’re preferable to false negatives.

Correct Answer: A. To ensure it has the latest malware definitions and can detect new threats. Regular updates are essential for effective antivirus protection.

Correct Answer: A. Identifying assets and threats. Identifying assets and threats is the foundation of risk assessment.

Correct Answer: A. A weakness in a system that can be exploited by a threat. Vulnerabilities create opportunities for threats to cause harm.

Correct Answer: A. Risk = Threat x Vulnerability x Impact. This formula helps quantify the potential impact of a risk.

Correct Answer: A. To reduce or eliminate risks. Security controls are measures implemented to protect against threats.

Correct Answer: D. Environmental. Environmental controls are not typically considered a category of security controls.

Correct Answer: A. To educate users about security best practices and help them recognize and avoid threats. User education is a critical component of a strong security posture.

Correct Answer: A. Identification. Identifying an incident is the initial step in the response process.

Correct Answer: A. To limit the spread of an incident and prevent further damage. Containment aims to isolate the incident and minimize its impact.

Correct Answer: A. The process of removing the cause of an incident and restoring systems to their normal state. Eradication focuses on eliminating the threat and restoring normal operations.

Correct Answer: A. To restore systems and data to their pre-incident state. Recovery aims to bring affected systems back online and ensure data integrity.

Correct Answer: A. To identify areas for improvement and enhance future response capabilities. Lessons learned help organizations refine their incident response processes.

Correct Answer: D. Sales Representative. Sales representatives are not typically involved in incident response.

Correct Answer: A. A framework that defines the security responsibilities of the cloud provider and the cloud customer. The Shared Responsibility Model clarifies who is responsible for which security aspects in the cloud.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cloud computing introduces unique security challenges that organizations need to address.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. A combination of security measures is necessary to protect data in the cloud.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. IoT devices often have inherent security vulnerabilities.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Multiple authentication methods can be used to verify the identity of IoT devices.

Correct Answer: A. To identify and address security weaknesses in IoT devices. IoT devices require ongoing vulnerability management due to their potential security risks.

Correct Answer: A. To analyze large volumes of data and identify patterns indicative of malicious activity. AI and ML can improve threat detection capabilities by analyzing vast amounts of data.

Correct Answer: A. The process of identifying unusual or unexpected behavior that may indicate a security threat. Anomaly detection can help uncover hidden threats that traditional security measures might miss.

Correct Answer: A. To automate certain tasks, such as triage and initial investigation. AI and ML can augment human capabilities and improve incident response efficiency.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. AI and ML offer several advantages for enhancing Cyber Security.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. AI and ML systems are not foolproof and can face various challenges.

Correct Answer: A. An attempt to deceive or manipulate an AI/ML model by providing it with malicious input. Adversarial attacks aim to exploit vulnerabilities in AI/ML systems.

Correct Answer: A. It can lead to inaccurate or discriminatory results, potentially missing threats or generating false positives. Bias in algorithms can undermine the effectiveness of AI/ML-based security solutions.

Correct Answer: A. The difficulty in understanding how an AI/ML model arrives at its decisions. The lack of explainability can make it challenging to trust and troubleshoot AI/ML systems.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. AI and ML are already being used in various Cyber Security applications.

Correct Answer: A. To safeguard individuals’ personal information and control how it is collected, used, and shared. Data protection laws aim to ensure the privacy and security of personal data.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cybercrimes encompass a wide range of illegal activities conducted online.

Correct Answer: A. Original creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols. Intellectual property laws grant creators exclusive rights to their works.

Correct Answer: A. The practice of testing a system or network for vulnerabilities with the owner’s permission. Ethical hackers help organizations improve their security by identifying weaknesses.

Correct Answer: A. The process of reporting vulnerabilities to the affected organization in a responsible manner, allowing them time to fix the issue before making it public. Responsible disclosure helps prevent malicious exploitation of vulnerabilities.

Correct Answer: A. A program that rewards individuals for discovering and reporting vulnerabilities to an organization. Bug bounty programs incentivize responsible disclosure and help organizations find and fix security flaws.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security practices can impact individual privacy in various ways.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber attacks can have serious consequences for individuals.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber attacks can have far-reaching societal implications.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security research and development raises important ethical questions.

Correct Answer: A. The gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not. The digital divide can create inequalities in access to information and opportunities.

Correct Answer: A. By limiting access to information and opportunities for those without adequate security measures. Cyber Security can inadvertently exacerbate existing social inequalities.

Correct Answer: A. To guide decision-making and ensure responsible behavior. Ethics provide a moral compass for navigating complex Cyber Security issues.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security professionals often face difficult ethical choices.

Correct Answer: A. To build trust and enable informed decision-making. Transparency is essential for fostering trust and accountability in Cyber Security.

Correct Answer: C. Both A and B. Cyber Security can both positively and negatively impact human rights.

Correct Answer: A. To address global threats and promote shared responsibility. International cooperation is crucial for tackling cross-border cyber threats.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Everyone has a role to play in improving Cyber Security.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security will likely shape the future of work in various ways.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security is vital for national security in the digital age.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Education is essential for building a strong Cyber Security workforce and culture.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security is a key enabler of economic development.

Correct Answer: C. Both A and B. Cyber Security can both challenge and strengthen international relations.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security is crucial for preserving democratic values and institutions.

Correct Answer: C. Both A and B. Cyber Security can contribute to environmental protection in various ways.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security is essential for safeguarding patient safety and maintaining trust in the healthcare system.

Correct Answer: D. All of the above. Cyber Security is crucial for supporting education in the digital age.

Correct Answer: A. It will continue to evolve and adapt to new threats and technologies. Cyber Security will remain a critical field as technology continues to advance and new threats emerge.