SY0-601 CompTIA Security+ Exam 2023 Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

An uncredentialed scan would miss missing patches for third-party software on Windows workstations and servers. A credentialed scan, however, can scan the registry and file system to determine the patch level of third-party applications. References: CompTIA Security+ Study Guide by Emmett Dulaney, Chapter 4: Identity and Access Management, The Importance of Credentialing Scans

The solution that the CISO should choose is Next-generation Secure Web Gateway (SWG), which provides URL filtering and categorization to prevent users from accessing malicious sites, even when they are away from the office. NGFWs are typically cloud-based and offer multiple security layers, including malware detection, intrusion prevention, and data loss prevention. References:

https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/what-is-a-next-generation-secure-web-gateway-ng-swg

CompTIA Security+ Study Guide Exam SY0-601, Chapter 4

A social engineering attack that relies on an executive at a small business visiting a fake banking website where credit card and account details are harvested is known as whaling. Whaling is a type of phishing attack that targets high-profile individuals, such as executives, to steal sensitive information or gain access to their accounts.

The responsibilities of ensuring backups are properly maintained and implementing technical controls to protect data are the responsibilities of the data custodian role. References: CompTIA Security+ Study Guide by Emmett Dulaney, Chapter 7: Securing Hosts and Data, Data Custodian

Spyware is malicious software that can cause a computer to slow down or freeze. It can also cause the mouse pointer to disappear. The task list shows an application named "spyware.exe" running, indicating that spyware is likely the issue. References:

CompTIA Security+ Certification Exam Objectives 6.0: Given a scenario, analyze indicators of compromise and determine the type of malware.

CompTIA Security+ Study Guide, Sixth Edition, pages 125-126

Graphical user interface, application, website, Teams Description automatically generated

Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated

two possible solutions that can be implemented to prevent these issues from reoccurring are password history and geofencing12. Password history is a feature that prevents users from reusing their previous passwords1. This can enhance password security by forcing users to create new and unique passwords periodically1. Password history can be configured by setting a policy that specifies how many previous passwords are remembered and how often users must change their passwords1.

Geofencing is a feature that restricts access to a system or network based on the geographic location of the user or device2. This can enhance security by preventing unauthorized access from hostile or foreign regions2. Geofencing can be implemented by using GPS, IP address, or other methods to determine the location of the user or device and compare it with a predefined set of boundaries2.

To prevent such a breach in the future, the BEST control to use would be Password complexity.

Password complexity is a security measure that requires users to create strong passwords that are difficult to guess or crack. It can help prevent unauthorized access to systems and data by making it more difficult for attackers to guess or crack passwords.

The best control to use to prevent a breach like the one shown in the logs is password complexity. Password complexity requires users to create passwords that are harder to guess, by including a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. In the logs, the attacker was able to guess the user's password using a dictionary attack, which means that the password was not complex enough. References:

CompTIA Security+ Certification Exam Objectives - Exam SY0-601

Data loss prevention (DLP) solutions can prevent the accidental or intentional loss of sensitive data. DLP tools can identify and protect sensitive data by classifying and categorizing it, encrypting it, or blocking it from being transferred outside the organization's network.

Bug bounty is a type of testing in which an organization offers a reward or compensation to anyone who can identify vulnerabilities or security flaws in their network or applications. The outside security firm has agreed to pay for each vulnerability found, which is an example of a bug bounty program.

The best backup strategy for minimizing the number of backups that need to be restored in case of data loss is full backups followed by incremental backups. This strategy allows for a complete restoration of data by restoring the most recent full backup followed by the most recent incremental backup. Reference: CompTIA Security+ Certification Guide, Third Edition (Exam SY0-601) page 126

Multifactor authentication (MFA) would be the best control to require from a third-party identity provider to help mitigate attacks such as credential theft and brute-force attacks. References: CompTIA Security+ Study Guide, Exam SY0-601, Chapter 2

When malware is discovered on a host, the best course of action is to quarantine the host from other parts of the network. This prevents the malware from spreading and potentially infecting other hosts. Adding a deny-all rule to the host in the network ACL may prevent legitimate traffic from being processed, implementing a network-wide scan is time-consuming and may not be necessary, and revoking the client's network access certificates is an extreme measure that may not be warranted. References: CompTIA Security+ Study Guide, pages 113-114

High availability refers to the ability of a system or service to remain operational and available to users with minimal downtime. By ensuring high availability, the company can maintain good performance and ensure that users have access to the network services they need. High availability can also improve security, as it helps to prevent disruptions that could potentially be caused by security incidents or other issues.

A tabletop exercise is a type of disaster recovery test that simulates a disaster scenario in a discussion-based format, without actually disrupting operations or requiring physical testing of recovery procedures. It is the least time-consuming type of test for the disaster recovery team.

The attackers are using card skimming to steal shoppers' credit card information, which they use to make online purchases. References:

CompTIA Security+ Study Guide Exam SY0-601, Chapter 5

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a security solution that protects web applications from various types of attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and others. It is typically deployed in front of web servers to inspect incoming traffic and filter out malicious requests.

To protect the company’s website from malicious web requests over SSL, a decryption certificate is needed to decrypt the SSL traffic before it reaches the WAF. This allows the WAF to inspect the traffic and filter out malicious requests.

Hardware Security Module (HSM) is a network appliance designed to securely store cryptographic keys and perform cryptographic operations. HSMs provide a secure environment for key management and can be used to keep cryptographic keys safe from theft, loss, or unauthorized access. Therefore, an enterprise can achieve the goal of keeping cryptographic keys in a safe manner by using an HSM appliance. References: CompTIA Security+ Certification Exam Objectives, Exam Domain 2.0: Technologies and Tools, 2.4 Given a scenario, use appropriate tools and techniques to troubleshoot security issues, p. 21

The environment that utilizes dummy data and is most likely to be installed locally on a system that allows it to be assessed directly and modified easily with each build is the development environment. The development environment is used for developing and testing software and applications. It is typically installed on a local system, rather than on a remote server, to allow for easy access and modification. Dummy data can be used in the development environment to simulate real-world scenarios and test the software's functionality. References: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/27561/development-environment

One of the risks of using legacy software is the lack of vendor support. This means that the vendor may no longer provide security patches, software updates, or technical support for the software. This leaves the software vulnerable to new security threats and vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.

DLP stands for data loss prevention, which is a set of tools and processes that aim to prevent unauthorized access, use, or transfer of sensitive data. DLP can help mitigate the risk of data exfiltration by disgruntled employees or external attackers by monitoring and controlling data flows across endpoints, networks, and cloud services. DLP can also detect and block attempts to copy, print, email, upload, or download sensitive data based on predefined policies and rules.

References: https://www.comptia.org/certifications/security#examdetails https://www.comptia.org/content/guides/comptia-security-sy0-601-exam-objectives https://www.forcepoint.com/cyber-edu/data-loss-prevention-dlp

The test environment is used to assess the execution of component parts of a system at both the hardware and software levels and to measure performance characteristics. References: CompTIA Security+ Study Guide 601, Chapter 2

 Integrity is a security concept that ensures that data is accurate, complete and consistent, and that it has not been tampered with or modified in an unauthorized or unintended way. Integrity is important for e-commerce organizations to protect against erroneous purchases, as it can prevent data corruption, duplication, loss or manipulation that could affect the transactions or the records of the customers. Integrity can be achieved by using methods such as hashing, digital signatures, checksums, encryption and access control. Verified References:

Security+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications https://www.comptia.org/certifications/security (See What Skills Will You Learn?)

CompTIA Security+ 601 - Infosec https://www.infosecinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CompTIA-Security-eBook.pdf (See Security+: 5 in-demand cybersecurity skills)

CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Certification Study Guide https://www.comptia.org/training/books/security-sy0-601-study-guide (See Chapter 1: Threats, Attacks and Vulnerabilities, Section 1.4: Cryptography and PKI)

Disabling access is an automation use case that can enhance the security posture of an organization by rapidly updating permissions when employees leave a company or change job roles internally. It can prevent unauthorized access and data leakage by revoking or modifying the access rights of employees based on their current status and role.

Based on the logs, it seems that the host that originated the infection is 192.168.10.22. This host has a suspicious process named svchost.exe running on port 443, which is unusual for a Windows service. It also has a large number of outbound connections to different IP addresses on port 443, indicating that it is part of a botnet.

The firewall log shows that this host has been communicating with 10.10.9.18, which is another infected host on the engineering network. This host also has a suspicious process named svchost.exe running on port 443, and a large number of outbound connections to different IP addresses on port 443.

The other hosts on the R&D network (192.168.10.37 and 192.168.10.41) are clean, as they do not have any suspicious processes or connections.

 VPN (Virtual Private Network) traffic is encrypted to protect its confidentiality and integrity over the internet. However, this also means that it cannot be inspected by security devices or tools when entering or leaving the network, unless it is decrypted first. This can create a blind spot or a vulnerability for the network security posture, as malicious traffic or data could bypass detection or prevention mechanisms by using VPN encryption

Code signing is a cryptographic process that allows software developers to digitally sign their code. This ensures that the code has not been tampered with since it was signed and that it came from a trusted source.

Testing input validation on the user input fields is important for preventing malicious code from being entered into a system. However, it does not address the authenticity of the code itself.

Performing static code analysis on the software can help to identify security vulnerabilities. However, it cannot guarantee that the code has not been tampered with.

Ensuring secure cookies are used is important for preventing unauthorized access to user data. However, it does not address the authenticity of the code itself.

Therefore, the most appropriate option to ensure the authenticity of the code created by the company is to perform code signing on the software.

Here are some additional benefits of code signing:

It can help to prevent malware from being installed on users' computers.

It can help to protect intellectual property.

It can help to improve user trust.

MDM stands for mobile device management, which is a solution that allows organizations to manage and secure mobile devices used by employees. MDM can help prevent data loss and leakage by enforcing policies and restrictions on the devices, such as encryption, password, app installation, remote wipe, and so on. MDM can also monitor and audit the device activity and compliance status. MDM can be the best mitigation strategy to prevent data leakage from an employee’s COPE tablet via cloud storage, as it can block or limit the access to cloud services, or apply data protection measures such as containerization or encryption. References:

https://www.blackberry.com/us/en/solutions/corporate-owned-personally-enabled

https://www.professormesser.com/security-plus/sy0-601/sy0-601-video/mobile-device-management/

Mimikatz is a tool that can extract plaintext credentials from memory on Windows systems. A malicious flash drive can bypass the GPO blocking the flash drives by using techniques such as autorun.inf or HID spoofing to execute Mimikatz on the target system without user interaction or consent. This can cause AV alerts indicating Mimikatz attempted to run on the remote systems and also reduce the storage capacity of the flash drives to only 512KB by creating hidden partitions or files on them. 

Wireless jamming is a way for an attacker to disrupt a wireless network and create a denial of ser-vice situation by decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio at the receiving device. The attacker would need to be relatively close to the wireless network to overwhelm the good signal. The other options are not likely to cause a wireless network outage for users near the parking lot.

OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) is a non-profit organization that provides resources and guidance for improving the security of web applications. It publishes a list of the most common web application vulnerabilities, such as injection, broken authentication, cross-site scripting, etc., and provides recommendations and best practices for preventing and mitigating them

Using a SHA-2 signature of a drive image is a way to supply non-repudiation during a forensics investigation, as it can verify the integrity and authenticity of the data captured in the image. SHA-2 is a family of secure hash algorithms that can produce a unique and fixed-length digest of any input data. By hashing the drive image and comparing the signature with the original hash, the investigator can prove that the image has not been altered or tampered with since the time of acquisition. This can also help to identify the source of the data and prevent any denial from the suspect. References:

https://www.professormesser.com/security-plus/sy0-601/sy0-601-video/managing-evidence/

https://www.skillsoft.com/course/comptia-security-incident-response-digital-forensics-supporting-investigations-f889a108-9721-4e2c-8e9e-b49b01295e48

Network and firewall logs should be analyzed to identify the impacted host in a cybersecurity incident involving a command-and-control server. A command-and-control server is a central server that communicates with and controls malware-infected devices or bots. A command-and-control server can send commands to the bots, such as downloading additional malware, stealing data, or launching attacks. Network logs can help to identify any suspicious or anomalous network traffic, such as connections to unknown or malicious domains, high-volume data transfers, or unusual protocols or ports. Firewall logs can help to identify any blocked or allowed traffic based on the firewall rules, such as connections to or from the command-and-control server, or any attempts to bypass the firewall. References:

https://cybersecurity.att.com/blogs/security-essentials/command-and-control-server-detection-methods-best-practices

https://www.howtogeek.com/726136/what-is-a-command-and-control-server-for-malware/

CIS benchmarks are best practices and standards for securing various operating systems, applications, cloud environments, etc. They are developed by a community of experts and updated regularly to reflect the latest threats and vulnerabilities. They can be used to update and reconfigure the OS-level security configurations to ensure compliance and reduce risks. 

Isolating the infected attachment is the best course of action for the analyst to take to prevent further spread of the worm. A worm is a type of malware that can self-replicate and infect other devices without human interaction. By isolating the infected attachment, the analyst can prevent the worm from spreading to other devices or networks via email, file-sharing, or other means. Isolating the infected attachment can also help the analyst to analyze the worm and determine its source, behavior, and impact. References:

https://www.security.org/antivirus/computer-worm/

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/resources/worm_mitigation_whitepaper.html

Surveillance systems are constantly scanned by internet bots and have the highest risk of attack in the case of the default configurations because they are often connected to the internet and use weak or default passwords that can be easily guessed or cracked by malicious bots. Internet bots are software applications that run automated tasks over the internet, usually with the intent to imitate human activity or exploit vulnerabilities. Some bots are used for legitimate purposes, such as web crawling or indexing, but others are used for malicious purposes, such as spamming, phishing, denial-of-service attacks, or credential stuffing. Security misconfigurations are one of the most common gaps that criminal hackers look to exploit. Therefore, it is important to secure the configuration of surveillance systems by changing the default passwords, updating the firmware, disabling unnecessary services, and enabling encryption and authentication.

https://www.cctvcameraworld.com/setup-ip-camera-sys tem-on-network/

A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated with medium confidence

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to make a computer or network resource unavailable to its intended users. This is accomplished by overwhelming the target with a flood of traffic from multiple sources.

In the scenario described, the security analyst identified a source IP address and blocked it from communicating with the network. However, the attack was still ongoing and coming from a large number of different source IP addresses. This indicates that the attack was a DDoS attack.

Privilege escalation is an attack that allows an attacker to gain unauthorized access to a system or network. DNS poisoning is an attack that modifies the DNS records for a domain name, causing users to be redirected to a malicious website. A buffer overflow is an attack that occurs when a program attempts to store more data in a buffer than it is designed to hold.

Therefore, the most likely type of attack in the scenario described is a DDoS attack.