Operating System Security: Master the Fundamentals of OS Protection

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of using security updates?

Accepted Answer

To protect against vulnerabilities

Answer

To fix software bugs

Answer

To enhance performance

Answer

To improve functionality

Question 2

What is the process of identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities called?

Accepted Answer

Vulnerability management

Answer

Risk assessment

Answer

Security auditing

Answer

Patching

Question 3

Which of the following tools is primarily used for operating system security assessments?

Accepted Answer

Nessus

Answer

Wireshark

Answer

Metasploit

Answer

Splunk

Question 4

What is the main objective of using a secure boot process?

Accepted Answer

To prevent unauthorized operating system modifications

Answer

To improve boot times

Answer

To protect against rootkits

Answer

To enhance data encryption

Question 5

What is the function of application whitelisting in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

Only allowing authorized applications to run

Answer

Blocking access to malicious websites

Answer

Detecting and removing malware

Answer

Encrypting data on the device

Question 6

Which of the following is considered a best practice for hardening an operating system?

Accepted Answer

Disabling unnecessary services and applications

Answer

Installing all available software updates without proper testing

Answer

Granting elevated privileges to all users

Answer

Disabling antivirus software

Question 7

What is the primary purpose of a patch management strategy?

Accepted Answer

To prevent security vulnerabilities from being exploited

Answer

To update the operating system with new features and enhancements only

Answer

To restore the operating system to a previous state

Answer

To troubleshoot and resolve hardware issues

Question 8

Which of the following malware types encrypts files and demands a ransom to unlock them?

Accepted Answer

Ransomware

Answer

Virus

Answer

Worm

Answer

Trojan horse

Question 9

Which of the following best describes a strong password?

Accepted Answer

A combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols

Answer

A short and easy-to-remember password

Answer

Reusing the same password for multiple accounts

Answer

Writing the password down for safekeeping

Question 10

What is the key difference between a virus and a worm?

Accepted Answer

A virus requires a host program to spread, while a worm can propagate independently

Answer

A worm requires a host program to spread, while a virus can spread independently

Answer

A virus is a type of worm, and vice versa

Answer

There is no difference between a virus and a worm

Question 11

Which technique is used to protect data during transmission?

Accepted Answer

Encryption

Answer

Decryption

Answer

Hashing

Answer

Salting

Question 12

What is the primary function of a firewall?

Accepted Answer

To control and filter incoming and outgoing network traffic

Answer

To detect and block malicious software exclusively

Answer

To encrypt data before it is sent over a network solely

Answer

To scan for and remove viruses only

Question 13

What type of malicious software is designed to encrypt files and extort payment for decryption?

Accepted Answer

Ransomware

Answer

Virus

Answer

Worm

Answer

Trojan

Question 14

Which of the following is a vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on a system?

Accepted Answer

Buffer overflow

Answer

SQL injection

Answer

Cross-site scripting

Answer

Phishing

Question 15

What is the role of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

To detect and respond to security breaches

Answer

To prevent unauthorized access

Answer

To encrypt sensitive data

Answer

To harden the operating system

Question 16

What is the purpose of a system hardening checklist?

Accepted Answer

To guide the process of strengthening an operating system

Answer

To list all potential vulnerabilities in a system

Answer

To provide a comprehensive list of security patches

Answer

To automate the hardening process

Question 17

What is the NIST Cybersecurity Framework?

Accepted Answer

A set of voluntary guidelines for improving cybersecurity

Answer

A mandatory compliance standard for all US organizations

Answer

A collection of software tools for securing operating systems

Answer

A government-funded research project on cybersecurity

Question 18

In modern operating systems, which security feature is essential for preventing unauthorized access to system resources?

Accepted Answer

Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR)

Answer

Heap Buffer Overflow Protection

Answer

Virtualization

Question 19

Which component does NOT pertain to operating system security?

Accepted Answer

Network security

Answer

Vulnerability management

Answer

Patch management

Answer

Hardening

Question 20

What is the main reason for hardening an operating system?

Accepted Answer

To reduce the attack surface

Answer

To detect and respond to attacks

Answer

To patch vulnerabilities

Answer

To monitor system activity

Question 21

What is SELinux primarily responsible for in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

Enforcing Mandatory Access Control

Answer

Detecting malware

Answer

Hardening the kernel

Answer

Managing user permissions

Question 22

Which type of attack commonly targets operating systems?

Accepted Answer

Buffer overflow

Answer

SQL injection

Answer

Cross-site scripting

Answer

Phishing

Question 23

What is the purpose of establishing a security baseline?

Accepted Answer

To define a minimum level of security

Answer

To monitor system compliance

Answer

To harden an operating system

Answer

To detect vulnerabilities

Question 24

Which tool is commonly used for vulnerability assessment?

Accepted Answer

Nessus

Answer

Nmap

Answer

Wireshark

Answer

Splunk

Question 25

Distinguish between a privilege escalation attack and a lateral movement attack.

Accepted Answer

Privilege escalation attacks target a single system, while lateral movement attacks spread across a network.

Answer

Lateral movement attacks target a single system, while privilege escalation attacks spread across a network.

Answer

Both attacks target a single system.

Answer

Both attacks spread across a network.

Question 26

What is a primary use of cryptographic hashes in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

Verifying file integrity

Answer

Encrypting sensitive data

Answer

Generating secure passwords

Answer

Detecting malware

Question 27

In operating systems, which security feature isolates and manages resources for running processes?

Accepted Answer

Sandboxing

Answer

Virtualization

Answer

Encryption

Question 28

Which hardening technique involves restricting access to critical files and resources?

Accepted Answer

File permissions

Answer

Packet filtering

Answer

Patch management

Answer

Host intrusion detection

Question 29

What is the primary purpose of a patch management strategy?

Accepted Answer

To address vulnerabilities in operating systems and software

Answer

To monitor network activities for suspicious patterns

Answer

To disable unnecessary services and applications

Answer

To create backups of important data

Question 30

Which of the following is a common vulnerability found in operating systems?

Accepted Answer

Buffer overflow

Answer

SQL injection

Answer

Cross-site scripting

Answer

Man-in-the-middle attack

Question 31

What is the main role of a firewall in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

To filter incoming and outgoing network traffic

Answer

To encrypt data transmissions

Answer

To detect and block malicious software

Answer

To provide authentication and authorization

Question 32

In operating system development, what is a key objective of implementing secure coding practices?

Accepted Answer

Preventing security vulnerabilities

Answer

Enhancing system reliability

Answer

Improving performance efficiency

Answer

Reducing system maintenance complexity

Question 33

How does hardening an operating system help reduce vulnerabilities and enhance security?

Accepted Answer

It significantly reduces the chances of successful exploitation of vulnerabilities.

Answer

It improves the detection rate of vulnerabilities.

Answer

It completely eliminates all software vulnerabilities.

Answer

It increases the frequency of security patching.

Question 34

In cloud computing, what is a key security consideration due to the shared infrastructure?

Accepted Answer

Increased attack surface

Answer

Reduced patch management

Answer

Irrelevance of hardware security

Question 35

The primary goal of operating system security is to:

Accepted Answer

Protect the system from unauthorized access and malicious activities

Answer

Control the flow of data between different applications

Answer

Enhance the overall performance of the system

Answer

Manage the user interface and provide a seamless user experience

Question 36

Which hardening technique involves implementing access controls to limit who can access sensitive files and directories?

Accepted Answer

File permissions

Answer

Buffer overflow protection

Answer

Intrusion detection

Answer

Log analysis

Question 37

The primary purpose of patch management in operating system security is to:

Accepted Answer

Install security updates to address vulnerabilities and mitigate risks

Answer

Configure the operating system for optimal performance and efficiency

Answer

Monitor system activities for suspicious behaviors or anomalies

Question 38

Which of the following is a prevalent threat to operating system security?

Accepted Answer

Malware

Answer

Power outages

Answer

Incorrect user actions

Answer

Hardware malfunction

Question 39

The primary function of a firewall in operating system security is to:

Accepted Answer

Control and filter incoming and outgoing network traffic based on defined rules

Answer

Monitor system performance and resource utilization

Answer

Detect and remove malicious software from the system

Answer

Enforce user authentication and authorization mechanisms

Question 40

The principle of least privilege in operating system security emphasizes the importance of:

Accepted Answer

Granting users only the permissions necessary to perform their specific tasks

Answer

Disabling all security measures to improve system performance

Answer

Allowing users to install and run any software they desire

Question 41

The purpose of a security audit in operating system security is to:

Accepted Answer

Identify potential vulnerabilities, assess risks, and recommend improvements to enhance security

Answer

Install security updates and patches to fix known vulnerabilities

Answer

Monitor system activities in real-time to detect suspicious behaviors

Question 42

Which of the following is a recommended best practice for maintaining a secure operating system configuration?

Accepted Answer

Disable or remove unnecessary services and applications

Answer

Allow users to modify system files and configurations without restrictions

Answer

Install as many software packages as possible to enhance functionality

Answer

Enable all default settings without customization

Question 43

The key difference between a privilege escalation attack and a buffer overflow attack lies in:

Accepted Answer

Privilege escalation attacks aim to gain higher privileges, while buffer overflow attacks exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities.

Answer

They are essentially the same type of attack with different names