312-38 ECCouncil Certified Network Defender (CND) Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

A multi-homed firewall is designed with three or more network interfaces. This type of firewall allows an organization to create multiple subnets, each serving different security objectives. The multi-homed firewall can enforce security policies and control traffic flow between these subnets, effectively segmenting the network based on the organization’s specific needs. This segmentation enhances security by isolating different parts of the network, reducing the risk of widespread network compromise in the event of a security breach.

References: The concept of a multi-homed firewall aligns with network security best practices and is consistent with the Certified Network Defender (CND) curriculum, which emphasizes the importance of network segmentation and firewall configuration for organizational security.

The risk treatment process that includes not allowing the use of laptops in an organization to ensure its security is known as risk avoidance. Risk avoidance is a strategy that involves identifying a potential risk and making the decision to not engage in the activity that presents the risk. In the context of information security, this could mean choosing not to use certain technologies or systems that could pose a security threat. By not using laptops, an organization can avoid the risks associated with loss, theft, or unauthorized access that laptops, being portable, are particularly susceptible to.

References: The answer aligns with the principles of risk management in network security, as outlined in the Certified Network Defender (CND) course by EC-Council, which emphasizes understanding and applying the appropriate risk treatment strategies, including avoidance, mitigation, transfer, and acceptance.

The star topology is the most suitable for accommodating an increasing number of employees because it allows for easy addition of new nodes or computers without disrupting the existing network. In a star topology, each node is independently connected to a central hub. If a new employee is added, they can be connected to the hub without affecting the other nodes. This topology also simplifies troubleshooting, as each connection can be individually assessed without taking down the entire network. Furthermore, the star topology is known for its scalability and robustness, making it ideal for a growing company like Geon Solutions INC.

References: The information aligns with the best practices for expanding business networks as described in the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) program, which emphasizes the importance of a scalable and robust network topology for business growth12. Additionally, industry sources confirm that the star topology is recommended for large business offices due to its simplicity, scalability, and ease of expansion

RAID level 0 employs a technique known as disk stripping, which involves splitting data into blocks and distributing them evenly across multiple disks. This method enhances performance by allowing simultaneous read and write operations on multiple drives. However, it does not provide redundancy, meaning if one drive fails, all data on the array could be lost. The primary advantage of disk stripping is the improved I/O performance due to the parallel processing of data across the drives.

References: This explanation is based on standard RAID technology descriptions, which are part of the Certified Network Defender (CND) curriculum that covers various data storage strategies, including RAID configurations1234.

SRAM, or Static Random-Access Memory, is known for its low access time, typically around 20 ns, which makes it suitable for applications requiring high speed, such as cache memory in computers or, in this case, a RAID system. SRAM is faster than DRAM because it does not need to be refreshed as often, which is why it’s used where speed is critical. Although SRAM is more expensive and has less density compared to other types of RAM, its speed advantage makes it the preferred choice for Brendan’s RAID system requirements.

References: The characteristics of SRAM are well-documented in computer architecture and hardware literature, aligning with the Certified Network Defender (CND) course’s focus on understanding different types of memory for network security purposes. The ECCouncil’s CND materials and study guides provide information on various hardware components and their relevance to network security, which includes the selection of appropriate RAM types for different systems123.

The correct answer is Recovery Time Objective (RTO). RTO is a critical metric in disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) planning. It defines the target time within which a business process must be restored after a disaster to avoid unacceptable consequences associated with a break in business continuity. It is essentially the maximum acceptable length of time that a computer, system, network, or application can be down after a failure or disaster occurs. An RTO is set by business continuity planners to ensure that the DR and BC solutions are designed to meet the specific time constraints of the organization.

References: The explanation provided is based on standard definitions and practices within the field of disaster recovery and business continuity planning. The RTO is a well-established concept in DR and BC solutions, as outlined in various authoritative resources on the subject1234. For the most accurate and detailed reference, it is recommended to consult the official documents and study guides from the Certified Network Defender (CND) course by the EC-Council.

ISO/IEC 27018 is a code of practice for cloud service providers that handle personally identifiable information (PII). It provides a framework for protecting the privacy of PII in the cloud, consistent with the privacy principles in ISO/IEC 29100 for the public cloud computing environment. This standard is particularly relevant for cloud service providers needing to demonstrate they have implemented effective privacy controls to protect their customers’ data. The adoption of ISO/IEC 27018 by a cloud service provider is a strong indication of compliance with privacy laws and regulations, ensuring the protection of personal information in the cloud123.

References:

ISO/IEC 27018 overview and compliance information as provided by Microsoft Learn1.

Details on ISO/IEC 27018 compliance by Google Cloud2.

General information about ISO 27018 for cloud providers from Schellman3.

EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) course content4.

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is typically responsible for the implementation and management of policies and plans that support an organization’s IT and computer systems. The CIO’s role involves overseeing the IT department, aligning IT goals with business strategies, and ensuring that the IT infrastructure is capable of supporting the organization’s operations and objectives. They play a crucial role in decision-making processes related to technology investments and are instrumental in executing the organization’s IT policies and strategic plans.

References: This information is consistent with the roles and responsibilities outlined for IT management in the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) program, which emphasizes the importance of leadership and strategic direction in network security12.

John wants to implement a policy that allows employees to use and manage devices purchased by the organization but restricts the use of the device for business use only. This is known as a COBO (Company Owned, Business Only) policy. Under a COBO policy, the company provides the devices to the employees and maintains control over them, ensuring that they are used solely for business purposes123.

References: The concept of COBO is well-documented in enterprise mobility and device management literature, where it is described as a policy where the organization owns the devices and restricts their use to business activities only123. This approach is in contrast to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), CYOD (Choose Your Own Device), and COPE (Company Owned, Personally Enabled) policies, which offer varying degrees of personal use456789.

The term “Indicators of Exposure” (IoE) refers to potential risk exposures that attackers can exploit to breach the security of an organization. IoEs are vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an organization’s security posture that, if left unaddressed, could be leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized access or cause harm. These indicators help network defenders identify areas that require attention and remediation to prevent potential security incidents. Unlike Indicators of Compromise (IoC), which signal that a breach has already occurred, IoEs are forward-looking and are concerned with identifying and mitigating potential risks before they are exploited1.

References:

Information on the Certified Network Defender (CND) certification and its focus on identifying and mitigating potential risks, including IoEs1.

Application whitelisting is a security approach that allows only pre-approved applications to execute within a system or network. This method operates on a ‘default deny’ principle, meaning if an application is not explicitly listed as approved, it will not be allowed to run. This is in contrast to application blacklisting, which operates on a ‘default allow’ principle where all applications are allowed to run unless they have been specifically identified as malicious or undesirable and added to a blacklist. Whitelisting is generally considered more secure because it prevents any unapproved applications from running, which can include new or unknown threats. However, it can be more challenging to maintain as it requires a comprehensive understanding of all the necessary applications for business operations.

References: The concept of application whitelisting and its differentiation from blacklisting is well-documented in cybersecurity literature and aligns with the guidelines provided by the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) program. It is also supported by various cybersecurity frameworks and best practices, including those from authoritative sources such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

In the context of network security, ICMP fingerprinting is a technique used to determine the operating system of a target machine by analyzing its responses to ICMP requests. The correct filter to detect unusual ICMP requests that could be indicative of ICMP probes from an attacker is option C. This filter looks for ICMP echo requests (type 8) that do not have a corresponding echo reply (code 0). Since the code for an echo request is 0, the filter (!(icmp.code==8)) is used to exclude other ICMP messages with different codes.

References: The use of Wireshark filters to identify specific types of ICMP traffic is a common practice in network analysis. The Certified Network Defender (CND) course material covers various network monitoring tools and techniques, including the analysis of ICMP traffic for security purposes1. Additionally, resources like Wireshark documentation and network security forums provide practical examples of filters used to detect ICMP fingerprinting attempts23.

TCP OS fingerprinting attempts can be identified by analyzing various TCP/IP stack behaviors, one of which is the TCP Maximum Segment Size (MSS). The MSS value indicates the size of the largest segment of TCP data that a device is willing to receive. Different operating systems have different default MSS values, and a value less than 1460 can suggest an OS fingerprinting attempt, as it may indicate that the sender is trying to avoid fragmentation or is probing to discover the OS based on MSS response.

References: The use of Wireshark to monitor and analyze network traffic, including identifying TCP OS fingerprinting attempts, is covered in the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) course. The course materials would include detailed explanations on how to use Wireshark filters to detect such activities, and the reference to MSS values is consistent with standard network analysis practices for identifying OS fingerprinting attempts.

The IEEE 802.16 is a series of wireless broadband standards, also known as WirelessMAN, that are designed for Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). It specifies the air interface, including the medium access control layer (MAC) and physical layer (PHY), of combined fixed and mobile point-to-multipoint broadband wireless access systems. This standard supports rapid deployment of broadband wireless access systems and encourages competition by providing alternatives to wireline broadband access.

References: The information is verified by the IEEE Standard for Local and metropolitan area networks Part 16: Air Interface for Broadband Wireless Access Systems1, and further details can be found in the IEEE 802.16 Working Group’s documents23.

Anomaly detection in network-based Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) involves establishing a baseline of normal behavior for the network or system and then monitoring for deviations from this baseline. The IDS analyzes traffic patterns, system performance, user behavior, and other metrics to detect anomalies that could indicate a potential security breach. This method is particularly effective for identifying new or unknown threats that do not match any known signatures or definitions. By focusing on irregular patterns rather than predefined signatures, anomaly detection can provide early warnings of malicious activities that might otherwise go unnoticed.

References: The concept of anomaly detection within IDS is discussed in various cybersecurity resources, including academic publications and industry guides, which align with the ECCouncil’s Network Defender (CND) objectives and documents1234.

To effectively correlate incidents across various security controls like firewalls and IDS systems, it is essential to ensure that the timestamps of logs and events are synchronized. This is where Network Time Protocol (NTP) comes into play. NTP ensures that all devices on the network are on the same time setting, which is crucial for event correlation. Without synchronized time settings, it would be challenging to establish a timeline of events and understand the sequence in which they occurred, making incident response and forensic analysis more difficult.

References: The importance of using NTP for incident correlation is well-documented in network security best practices and is also highlighted in the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) course materials. The CND course emphasizes the role of NTP in maintaining accurate time stamps across network devices for effective security incident management and analysis.

The correct filter to detect UDP scan attempts using Wireshark is not listed among the options provided. To detect UDP scan attempts, a Wireshark filter that targets UDP traffic specifically would be used, rather than an ICMP type and code filter. A common method to detect a UDP scan is to look for a large amount of UDP packets sent to different ports, which can be indicative of a scanning activity. The filter would typically include parameters that isolate UDP traffic, such as udp.port or udp.dstport combined with a range or list of ports.

References: The information provided is based on standard practices for using Wireshark to detect network scanning activities, as outlined in resources like the InfosecMatter guide on detecting network attacks with Wireshark1. While the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender (CND) course materials would provide detailed methodologies for network defense, including the use of tools like Wireshark, the specific filters for detecting UDP scans would align with the general usage of Wireshark as described in various online resources and documentation1.

In the context of Network Function Virtualization (NFV), the Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) is responsible for controlling and managing the NFV infrastructure (NFVI), which includes compute, storage, and network resources. The VIM operates within one operator’s infrastructure domain and is a key component of the Management and Orchestration (MANO) framework. It ensures that the virtualized resources are appropriately allocated and managed to support the deployment and operation of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs).

References: The information aligns with the definitions and roles of VIM as outlined in the NFV and MANO framework documentation1.

The Security Reference Monitor (SRM) is the core component in Windows operating systems responsible for controlling access to resources. It enforces security policies and checks whether a user’s request to access a resource is allowed by the system’s security policy. SRM operates in the kernel mode and ensures that access rights and permissions are properly enforced, making it a critical part of the Windows security architecture for resource access control.

References: The role of SRM in Windows security is well-documented and aligns with the information provided in Microsoft’s official documentation and security model, which describes SRM as the component that enforces access controls and security policies within the system12.