ISC CISSP Practice Test 26
Question 250
A previous security situation was: An internet-facing service exposes optional debug and administrative endpoints in production by default. Now the requirement changes: The service must allow temporary remote debugging for a critical production incident. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Disable unnecessary functionality and apply secure configuration baselines at deployment.
- Leave every development endpoint open because developers may need troubleshooting.
- Automated configuration checks show prohibited endpoints absent from production and exceptions logged.
- Use time-limited approved diagnostic access with logging and automatic revocation.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Temporary diagnostics require controlled exception handling, not insecure permanent defaults. The revised action is Use time-limited approved diagnostic access with logging and automatic revocation.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: Secure defaults minimize attack paths before users customize systems. It does not directly meet the new condition.
B:This remains inappropriate: Unneeded exposed functions expand risk and can bypass intended boundaries.
C:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: Automated configuration checks show prohibited endpoints absent from production and exceptions logged.
Question 251
An accounting platform must prevent a lower-trust import process from modifying the integrity-protected general ledger. Which recommendation should the security leader make FIRST to address the stated objective?
- Rely on a confidentiality model alone to authorize writes to the general ledger.
- Negative tests show low-integrity service identities cannot alter high-integrity ledger entries.
- Use confidentiality labels and access constraints aligned with Bell-LaPadula's no-read-up principle.
- Apply a high-integrity write boundary consistent with Biba integrity controls.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Biba-style integrity rules prevent lower-integrity subjects from corrupting higher-integrity data. The scenario is: An accounting platform must prevent a lower-trust import process from modifying the integrity-protected general ledger.
Incorrect Answers
A:Confidentiality rules do not by themselves enforce the required integrity write-up restriction. The rejected action is: Rely on a confidentiality model alone to authorize writes to the general ledger.
B:This is useful evidence after implementation, rather than the FIRST recommended decision for this objective. Negative tests show low-integrity service identities cannot alter high-integrity ledger entries.
C:This addresses a distinct subsequent requirement: Another division must keep secret design files from being read by lower-clearance personnel. The changed goal is information confidentiality rather than preventing corruption of trusted records.
Question 252
An accounting platform must prevent a lower-trust import process from modifying the integrity-protected general ledger. A colleague instead proposes: "Rely on a confidentiality model alone to authorize writes to the general ledger." Which finding BEST explains why the proposal should be rejected?
- Its only deficiency is a missing executive signature, even if the design still fails the stated requirement.
- It is inadequate only because of a different later condition: Another division must keep secret design files from being read by lower-clearance personnel.
- No evidence or governance records should be retained when evaluating this 3.2 decision.
- Confidentiality rules do not by themselves enforce the required integrity write-up restriction.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Confidentiality rules do not by themselves enforce the required integrity write-up restriction. This directly invalidates the proposed action: Rely on a confidentiality model alone to authorize writes to the general ledger.
Incorrect Answers
A:Approval alone cannot fix the specific weakness: Confidentiality rules do not by themselves enforce the required integrity write-up restriction.
B:The subsequent circumstance is separate and does not explain why this proposed action fails the initial case. The changed goal is information confidentiality rather than preventing corruption of trusted records.
C:Destroying records would weaken oversight and cannot remedy the immediate technical or governance flaw: Confidentiality rules do not by themselves enforce the required integrity write-up restriction.
Question 253
An accounting platform must prevent a lower-trust import process from modifying the integrity-protected general ledger. After implementing "Apply a high-integrity write boundary consistent with Biba integrity controls.", what evidence BEST demonstrates that the intended security outcome is functioning?
- A note proposing to test this exact 3.2 measure in a future quarter.
- A declaration that no incident has been reported, without exercising the relevant control.
- A meeting record that the alternate design "Use confidentiality labels and access constraints aligned with Bell-LaPadula's no-read-up principle." was discussed but never tested.
- Negative tests show low-integrity service identities cannot alter high-integrity ledger entries.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:Negative tests show low-integrity service identities cannot alter high-integrity ledger entries. This verifies the original requirement because biba-style integrity rules prevent lower-integrity subjects from corrupting higher-integrity data.
Incorrect Answers
A:An unexecuted future plan does not prove current effectiveness for the stated 3.2 objective. The evidence should include: Negative tests show low-integrity service identities cannot alter high-integrity ledger entries.
B:Absence of reported incidents is not a controlled validation of the requirement. A stronger proof is: Negative tests show low-integrity service identities cannot alter high-integrity ledger entries.
C:Discussion of a different design does not demonstrate the deployed control. The changed goal is information confidentiality rather than preventing corruption of trusted records.
Question 254
The organization previously faced this problem: An accounting platform must prevent a lower-trust import process from modifying the integrity-protected general ledger. Its requirement then changes: Another division must keep secret design files from being read by lower-clearance personnel. Which revised action BEST meets the new requirement?
- Apply a high-integrity write boundary consistent with Biba integrity controls.
- Rely on a confidentiality model alone to authorize writes to the general ledger.
- Keep the original 3.2 policy unchanged, and defer the newly identified requirement without a risk decision.
- Use confidentiality labels and access constraints aligned with Bell-LaPadula's no-read-up principle.
Explanation
Correct Answer
D:The changed goal is information confidentiality rather than preventing corruption of trusted records. The appropriate revised action is: Use confidentiality labels and access constraints aligned with Bell-LaPadula's no-read-up principle.
Incorrect Answers
A:This addresses the original situation: Biba-style integrity rules prevent lower-integrity subjects from corrupting higher-integrity data. It does not directly meet the changed requirement: Another division must keep secret design files from being read by lower-clearance personnel.
B:The earlier rejected approach remains inappropriate. Confidentiality rules do not by themselves enforce the required integrity write-up restriction.
C:The new requirement needs an accountable response, not automatic deferral. The changed goal is information confidentiality rather than preventing corruption of trusted records.
Question 255
A military document system needs to stop users without sufficient classification clearance reading secret content. The team must implement a defensible safeguard AND demonstrate that it works. Which TWO entries form that control-and-evidence pair? (Select TWO.)
- Use mandatory labels and clearance checks consistent with Bell-LaPadula confidentiality rules.
- Access tests show lower-clearance accounts cannot retrieve classified records.
- Apply only an integrity model and assume it enforces document secrecy.
- Apply an integrity-oriented model for trusted record updates.
- Use Clark-Wilson-style constrained transactions with certification and separation of duties.
Explanation
Correct Answers
A:Correct control. No-read-up confidentiality protects information from lower-clearance subjects.
B:Correct verification. The specific evidence is: Access tests show lower-clearance accounts cannot retrieve classified records.
Incorrect Answers
C:Integrity rules do not by themselves prevent unauthorized disclosure of higher-classification content.
D:This concerns a later and different need: The same system must prevent lower-integrity imports from corrupting an authoritative database. Confidentiality and integrity policy address different information security objectives.
E:The proposed control fits another scenario: A brokerage trading platform requires well-formed transactions and separation between initiating and certifying financial updates. It does not directly address this scenario's primary requirement.
Question 256
A military document system needs to stop users without sufficient classification clearance reading secret content. A designer proposes: Apply only an integrity model and assume it enforces document secrecy. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Confidentiality and integrity policy address different information security objectives.
- Well-formed transformation procedures protect commercial data integrity.
- Integrity rules do not by themselves prevent unauthorized disclosure of higher-classification content.
- Authentication alone cannot ensure valid business state transitions or independent certification.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Integrity rules do not by themselves prevent unauthorized disclosure of higher-classification content.
Incorrect Answers
A:This explains a later shift in requirements (The same system must prevent lower-integrity imports from corrupting an authoritative database.), not the failure of the current proposal.
B:This is an advantage of another design (Use Clark-Wilson-style constrained transactions with certification and separation of duties.), not the particular flaw of Apply only an integrity model and assume it enforces document secrecy.
D:This is a limitation elsewhere: A brokerage trading platform requires well-formed transactions and separation between initiating and certifying financial updates. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
Question 257
A military document system needs to stop users without sufficient classification clearance reading secret content. The organization has now implemented this response: Use mandatory labels and clearance checks consistent with Bell-LaPadula confidentiality rules. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- Attestation and isolation tests verify the intended protected execution boundary.
- An approved change ticket for Use mandatory labels and clearance checks consistent with Bell-LaPadula confidentiality rules. without a completed verification result.
- Access tests show lower-clearance accounts cannot retrieve classified records.
- Invalid direct updates fail, while authorized constrained transactions maintain reconciliation invariants.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Access tests show lower-clearance accounts cannot retrieve classified records. This validates that no-read-up confidentiality protects information from lower-clearance subjects.
Incorrect Answers
A:This other observation is relevant to: A service runs encrypted keys in memory on commodity shared virtual machines and fears hypervisor-level exposure.
B:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is Access tests show lower-clearance accounts cannot retrieve classified records.
D:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: A brokerage trading platform requires well-formed transactions and separation between initiating and certifying financial updates.
Question 258
A previous security situation was: A military document system needs to stop users without sufficient classification clearance reading secret content. Now the requirement changes: The same system must prevent lower-integrity imports from corrupting an authoritative database. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Apply only an integrity model and assume it enforces document secrecy.
- Access tests show lower-clearance accounts cannot retrieve classified records.
- Apply an integrity-oriented model for trusted record updates.
- Use mandatory labels and clearance checks consistent with Bell-LaPadula confidentiality rules.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Confidentiality and integrity policy address different information security objectives. The revised action is Apply an integrity-oriented model for trusted record updates.
Incorrect Answers
A:This remains inappropriate: Integrity rules do not by themselves prevent unauthorized disclosure of higher-classification content.
B:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: Access tests show lower-clearance accounts cannot retrieve classified records.
D:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: No-read-up confidentiality protects information from lower-clearance subjects. It does not directly meet the new condition.
Question 259
A brokerage trading platform requires well-formed transactions and separation between initiating and certifying financial updates. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Use mandatory labels and clearance checks consistent with Bell-LaPadula confidentiality rules.
- Use Clark-Wilson-style constrained transactions with certification and separation of duties.
- Allow arbitrary table edits by any authenticated trader without approved transaction procedures.
- Enforce conflict-of-interest access restrictions consistent with Brewer-Nash principles.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Well-formed transformation procedures protect commercial data integrity. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
A:This response addresses a different condition: A military document system needs to stop users without sufficient classification clearance reading secret content. The present case requires the measure described by Use Clark-Wilson-style constrained transactions with certification and separation of duties.
C:Authentication alone cannot ensure valid business state transitions or independent certification.
D:This is appropriate for a later condition (The brokerage now needs to prevent analysts from viewing competitor confidential deal information.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Conflict-based access decisions depend on prior information exposure rather than transaction integrity alone.
Question 260
A brokerage trading platform requires well-formed transactions and separation between initiating and certifying financial updates. A designer proposes: Allow arbitrary table edits by any authenticated trader without approved transaction procedures. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- No-read-up confidentiality protects information from lower-clearance subjects.
- Authentication alone cannot ensure valid business state transitions or independent certification.
- Integrity rules do not by themselves prevent unauthorized disclosure of higher-classification content.
- Conflict-based access decisions depend on prior information exposure rather than transaction integrity alone.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Authentication alone cannot ensure valid business state transitions or independent certification.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is an advantage of another design (Use mandatory labels and clearance checks consistent with Bell-LaPadula confidentiality rules.), not the particular flaw of Allow arbitrary table edits by any authenticated trader without approved transaction procedures.
C:This is a limitation elsewhere: A military document system needs to stop users without sufficient classification clearance reading secret content. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
D:This explains a later shift in requirements (The brokerage now needs to prevent analysts from viewing competitor confidential deal information.), not the failure of the current proposal.