Cisco CCST Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What the Cisco CCST Cybersecurity exam covers

• Essential Security Principles58 questions
• Basic Network Security Concepts61 questions
• Endpoint Security61 questions
• Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Management57 questions
• Incident Handling63 questions

Free Cisco CCST Cybersecurity sample questions

A sample of 10 questions with answers and explanations. Sign up free to practice all 300.

1. Question 1Essential Security Principles

   A system enforces strict integrity but no longer lets authorized users access data during business hours. Which CIA property is being violated?

   • ANon-repudiation
   • BAvailabilityCorrect
   • CIntegrity
   • DConfidentiality
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   Availability refers to ensuring authorized users can access data when needed. Strict integrity without allowing access violates this fundamental CIA property, as the data is protected but inaccessible, defeating its purpose.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ANon-repudiation is incorrect because Non-repudiation is not a core CIA property..
   • CIntegrity is incorrect because Integrity means protecting against unauthorized modification; strict integrity does not prevent access..
   • DConfidentiality is incorrect because Confidentiality protects against unauthorized disclosure, not access denial..
2. Question 2Endpoint Security

   Which practice most directly reduces the risk that a compromised standard user account leads to full system takeover on a Windows endpoint?

   • ADisabling the audit log
   • BSetting a longer screensaver timeout
   • CRemoving local administrator rights from everyday user accountsCorrect
   • DIncreasing the monitor brightness
   ✓ Correct answer: C

   Removing local administrator rights prevents standard user accounts from escalating privileges and accessing or modifying system-level files even if the account is compromised. This directly limits privilege escalation attacks.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ADisabling the audit log is incorrect because Disabling audit logs hides activity but does not prevent escalation..
   • BSetting a longer screensaver timeout is incorrect because Screensaver timeout does not prevent privilege escalation..
   • DIncreasing the monitor brightness is incorrect because Monitor brightness does not affect security..
3. Question 3Incident Handling

   What is the primary purpose of a SIEM in a security operations center?

   • ATo encrypt disk volumes
   • BTo collect, correlate, and analyze log data from many sources to detect threatsCorrect
   • CTo assign IP addresses to hosts
   • DTo replace the need for backups
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   A SIEM collects, correlates, and analyzes log data from many sources to detect threats and incidents. This is its primary function in a security operations center.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ATo encrypt disk volumes is incorrect because SIEM does not encrypt disk volumes..
   • CTo assign IP addresses to hosts is incorrect because SIEM does not assign IP addresses..
   • DTo replace the need for backups is incorrect because SIEM does not replace backups..
4. Question 4Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Management

   What capability lets EDR tools reconstruct the sequence of actions a malicious process took on a host?

   • AIncreasing the screen resolution
   • Bcontinuous endpoint telemetry/activity recording (process, file, and network events)Correct
   • CDefragmenting the disk
   • DMuting system sounds
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   EDR continuous endpoint telemetry records process execution, file activity, and network connections. This data allows reconstruction of the attack chain and attacker behavior.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AIncreasing the screen resolution is incorrect because Screen resolution does not provide telemetry..
   • CDefragmenting the disk is incorrect because Disk defragmentation does not provide telemetry..
   • DMuting system sounds is incorrect because Muting system sounds does not provide telemetry..
5. Question 5Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Management

   What is the main monitoring value of File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) on a server?

   • AIt encrypts outbound email
   • BIt assigns IP addresses to clients
   • CIt increases the server's CPU clock speed
   • DIt alerts when critical system or configuration files are unexpectedly changedCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: D

   File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) detects when critical system and configuration files are unexpectedly changed. This reveals tampering by malware or attackers.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AIt encrypts outbound email is incorrect because FIM does not encrypt email..
   • BIt assigns IP addresses to clients is incorrect because FIM does not assign IP addresses..
   • CIt increases the server's CPU clock speed is incorrect because FIM does not increase CPU speed..
6. Question 6Endpoint Security

   An integration requires a script to run on endpoints with elevated rights. What reduces the risk of that automation?

   • ARun it as a permanent domain administrator everywhere
   • BRun it with a dedicated least-privilege account and log its actionsCorrect
   • CDisable logging so the script runs faster
   • DShare the script's credentials with all staff
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   Running with a dedicated least-privilege account limits the damage if the script is compromised. Logging its actions provides accountability and helps detect abuse.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ARun it as a permanent domain administrator everywhere is incorrect because Domain admin everywhere is excessive..
   • CDisable logging so the script runs faster is incorrect because Disabling logging hides abuse..
   • DShare the script's credentials with all staff is incorrect because Sharing credentials widely increases risk..
7. Question 7Incident Handling

   When integrating cloud audit logs into incident handling, why enable immutable (write-once) log storage?

   • ATo automatically resolve the incident
   • BTo reduce the size of every log entry
   • CTo speed up the cloud billing cycle
   • DTo prevent attackers from altering or deleting evidence, preserving log integrityCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: D

   Write-once or immutable log storage prevents attackers from deleting or altering evidence. This preserves log integrity even if systems are compromised.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ATo automatically resolve the incident is incorrect because Immutable logs do not resolve incidents automatically..
   • BTo reduce the size of every log entry is incorrect because Immutable logs do not reduce log size..
   • CTo speed up the cloud billing cycle is incorrect because Immutable logs do not affect billing..
8. Question 8Endpoint Security

   An organization wants to ensure that if an endpoint is lost, no one can read its stored data even by removing the drive. Which control BEST achieves this?

   • AFull-disk encryption with a strong keyCorrect
   • BA cable lock on the laptop
   • CRenaming sensitive files
   • DA login banner warning
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   Full-disk encryption with a strong key makes data unreadable without the key, even if the drive is physically removed. This is the most effective control for this scenario.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BA cable lock on the laptop is incorrect because Cable locks do not encrypt data..
   • CRenaming sensitive files is incorrect because Renaming files does not encrypt..
   • DA login banner warning is incorrect because Login banners do not encrypt..
9. Question 9Endpoint Security

   A mobile workforce uses personal phones for work email. Which control best lets the company wipe corporate data if a phone is lost without erasing personal photos?

   • AStoring all data in plaintext on the device
   • BTelling users to be careful
   • Cmobile device management with containerization/selective wipeCorrect
   • DDisabling the phone's camera permanently
   ✓ Correct answer: C

   MDM with containerization allows selective wipe of corporate data without erasing personal data. This balance is essential for BYOD scenarios.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AStoring all data in plaintext on the device is incorrect because Plaintext storage is insecure..
   • BTelling users to be careful is incorrect because User carefulness is not a technical control..
   • DDisabling the phone's camera permanently is incorrect because Disabling the camera is unnecessary..
10. Question 10Basic Network Security Concepts

    Which is the best practice for handling privileged (administrator) accounts?

    • AShare one admin account across the whole team
    • BDisable logging on admin actions
    • CUse them only when needed and require MFA and auditingCorrect
    • DUse the admin account for daily email and browsing
    ✓ Correct answer: C

    Privileged accounts should be used only when necessary with MFA and full audit logging. This limits exposure and provides accountability for powerful actions.

    Why the other options are wrong

    • AShare one admin account across the whole team is incorrect because Sharing one admin account across a team destroys accountability..
    • BDisable logging on admin actions is incorrect because Logging should be enabled and extensive..
    • DUse the admin account for daily email and browsing is incorrect because Admin accounts should not be used for daily work..

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