Pass the CompTIA CompTIA CASP CAS-005 Questions and answers with CertsForce

To meet the requirements of having allendpoints establish telemetry with a SIEM, integrate into an XDR platform, and allow SOC services to monitor the XDR platform, the best approach is to implement Host Intrusion Prevention Systems (HIPS) and a host-based firewall. HIPS can provide detailed telemetry data to the SIEM and can be integrated into the XDR platform for comprehensive monitoring and response. The host-based firewall ensures that only authorized traffic is allowed, providing an additional layer of security.

The first action should be to reset access for John and Joe, who are corporate accounts belonging to the organization. Their credentials were exposed in recent leaks, including one from an initial access broker (Joe), which indicates an active exploitation risk. Immediate password resets and session invalidations prevent adversaries from using the compromised credentials to gain access.

Ann’s account (@hotmail.com) is personal and not under corporate management, so while her exposure is concerning, it does not pose a direct risk to organizational systems. Contacting her can follow later steps but should not delay urgent remediation for John and Joe.

Option B delays remediation. Option C overreaches by including Ann in corporate resets. Option D includes contacting authorities prematurely, which is important but secondary to immediate containment.

CAS-005 emphasizes rapid containment of credential leaks affecting corporate identities, making access resets for John and Joe the first step.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) involves analyzing source code or compiled code for security vulnerabilities without executing the program. This method is well-suited for identifying syntax errors, coding standards violations, and potential security issues early in the development lifecycle.

A. Static application security testing (SAST): SAST tools analyze the source code to detect syntax errors, vulnerabilities, and other issues before the code is run. This is the most relevant task for the DevSecOps team to identify syntax errors and improve code quality.

B. Software composition analysis: This focuses on identifying vulnerabilities in open-source components and libraries used in the application but does not address syntax errors directly.

C. Runtime application self-protection (RASP): RASP involves monitoring and protecting applications during runtime, which does not help in identifying syntax errors during the development phase.

D. Web application vulnerability scanning: This involves scanning the running application for vulnerabilities but does not address syntax errors in the code.

The best solution is to provide a hash of all data made available (D). Hashing ensures the integrity of the threat intelligence data provided to customers. Clients can verify that the data received via API matches the published hash, ensuring no tampering occurred in transit or at rest. This supports customer trust and aligns with the objective of protecting data integrity while maintaining availability.

Option A (API secret keys) improves authentication and reduces attack surface but does not address integrity or compute efficiency. Option B (publishing IoCs publicly) increases attack surface and reduces control over distribution, which conflicts with security objectives. Option C (rate limiting) helps availability and cost control but does not guarantee data integrity.

By providing hashes, the company ensures customers can validate authenticity regardless of delivery method, reducing the risk of manipulated IoCs. This approach also minimizes compute spend since hashing is lightweight compared to continuous verification processes.

Therefore, the strongest alignment with all stated objectives—availability, reduced spend, reduced attack surface, and integrity—is achieved by providing hashes of all threat intelligence data.

The best way to prevent application-focused attacks for a platform-as-a-service solution with a web-based front end is to create Web Application Firewall (WAF) policies for relevant programming languages. Here's why:

Application-Focused Attack Prevention: WAFs are designed to protect web applications by filtering and monitoring HTTP traffic between a web application and the Internet. They help prevent attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other application-layer attacks.

Customizable Rules: WAF policies can be tailored to the specific programming languages and frameworks used by the web application, providing targeted protection based on known vulnerabilities and attack patterns.

Real-Time Protection: WAFs provide real-time protection, blocking malicious requests before they reach the application, thereby enhancing the security posture of the platform.

To protect company information on stolen mobile devices, implementingremote wipe proceduresensures data can be erased if a device is suspected lost or stolen.Biometric access controlwith enforced timeouts further secures the device, requiring biometric authentication periodically, thus limiting unauthorized access even if the device is stolen. Geofencing and certificates provide additional security layers but are less immediate protections against information exposure after theft. Application control and side-loading prevention are important for malware threats but less so for stolen device scenarios.

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) in Operational Technology (OT) environments commonly useLadder Logic, a graphical programming language resembling electrical relay logic diagrams. It’s the most relevant for PLCs due to its widespread use in industrial automation.

Option A:Ladder Logic is the standard for PLC programming, making it the best choice.

Option B:Rust is modern and secure but not typically used for PLCs.

Option C:C is used in some embedded systems but less common for PLCs.

Option D:Python is versatile but not native to PLC programming.

Option E:Java is rare in PLC contexts.

HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code)ensures the integrity and authentication of API requests without exposing static or hard-coded private keys. It uses a secret key and a hash function, preventing replay attacks and tampering. VPNs secure the transport layer, MFA protects user accounts (not API-to-database communications), and DSA is a signature algorithm but does not address hard-coding risk directly.

To improve the vulnerability management process in an environment where new devices/IPs are added and dropped regularly, the company should perform regular discovery scanning throughout the IT landscape using the vulnerability management tool. Here’s why:

Accurate Asset Inventory: Regular discovery scans help maintain an up-to-date inventory of all assets, ensuring that the vulnerability management process includes all relevant devices and IPs.

Consistency in Reporting: By continuously discovering and scanning new and existing assets, the company can generate consistent and comprehensive vulnerability reports that reflect the current state of the network.

Proactive Management: Regular scans enable the organization to proactively identify and address vulnerabilities on new and existing assets, reducing the window of exposure to potential threats.