CREST Updated CPTIA Exam Questions and Answers by inayah

Thenetstat -abcommand is useful in Windows operating systems for displaying all connections and listening ports, along with the executable involved in creating each connection or listening port. This can be particularly valuable for an incident responder like James when attempting to determine which processes are running on a system and how they are communicating over the network. This information can help identify malicious processes, unauthorized connections, or other signs of compromise on the system. Whilenetstat -abdoes not exclusively list executable files for running processes, it ties processes to network activity, which is a critical part of collecting volatile information during a cybersecurity incident investigation.

References:The Certified Incident Handler (CREST CPTIA) course by EC-Council covers various commands and tools that can be used to collect volatile data from systems as part of incident response activities, highlighting the importance of understanding network connections and the processes responsible for them.

Passive DNS monitoring involves collecting data about DNS queries and responses without actively querying DNS servers, thereby not altering or interfering with DNS traffic. This technique allows analysts to track changes in DNS records and observe patterns that may indicate malicious activity. In the scenario described, Enrique is employing passive DNS monitoring by using a recursive DNS server to log the responses received from name servers, storing these logs in a central database for analysis. This approach is effective for identifying malicious domains, mapping malware campaigns, and understanding threat actors' infrastructure without alerting them to the fact that they are being monitored. This method is distinct from active techniques such as DNS interrogation or zone transfers, which involve sending queries to DNS servers, and dynamic DNS, which refers to the automatic updating of DNS records.References:

SANS Institute InfoSec Reading Room, "Using Passive DNS to Enhance Cyber Threat Intelligence"

"Passive DNS Replication," by Florian Weimer, FIRST Conference Presentation

Tactical threat intelligence analysis focuses on the immediate, technical indicators of threats, such as the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by adversaries, their communication channels, the tools and software they utilize, and their strategies for evading forensic analysis. This type of analysis is crucial for operational defenses and is used by security teams to adjust their defenses against current threats. Since John successfully extracted information related to the adversaries' modus operandi, tools, communication channels, and evasion strategies, he is performing tactical threat intelligence analysis. This differs from strategic and operational threat intelligence, which focus on broader trends and specific operations, respectively, and from technical threat intelligence, which deals with technical indicators like malware signatures and IPs.References:

"Tactical Cyber Intelligence," by Cyber Threat Intelligence Network, Inc.

"Intelligence-Driven Incident Response: Outwitting the Adversary," by Scott J. Roberts and Rebekah Brown

Incident triage is the phase in the Incident Handling and Response (IH&R) process where identified security incidents are analyzed, validated, categorized, and prioritized. This step is crucial for determining the severity of incidents and deciding on the order in which they should be addressed. During triage, incident handlers assess the impact, urgency, and potential harm of an incident to prioritize their response efforts effectively. This ensures that resources are allocated efficiently, and the most critical incidents are handled first. Incident recording and assignment involve logging incidents and assigning them to handlers, containment focuses on limiting the extent of damage, and notification involves informing stakeholders about the incident.References:The Incident Handler (CREST CPTIA) courses and study guides detail the IH&R process, emphasizing the importance of triage in managing and responding to security incidents effectively.