ISC Updated CC Exam Questions and Answers by layth

Ransomware affects victims’ files primarily byencryptingthem, rendering the data inaccessible without a decryption key. Attackers then demand a ransom in exchange for restoring access.

While modern ransomware may also steal data, encryption is the defining characteristic of ransomware attacks. Destroying or selling files is not the primary mechanism.

Strong backups, access controls, and endpoint protection are key defenses against ransomware, as emphasized by NIST and CIS.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks primarily impactavailability, one of the three pillars of the CIA triad. DDoS attacks overwhelm systems, networks, or applications with massive volumes of traffic, exhausting resources such as bandwidth, CPU, or memory and preventing legitimate users from accessing services.

The goal of a DDoS attack is not to steal data, alter information, or deny accountability, but rather todisrupt access. Confidentiality and integrity may remain intact, but users are unable to reach the system, resulting in service outages, financial loss, and reputational damage.

Availability is a critical security objective for public-facing services such as websites, APIs, and online platforms. Defenses against DDoS attacks include traffic filtering, rate limiting, content delivery networks (CDNs), scrubbing services, and redundant architectures.

Security frameworks such as NIST and ISO/IEC explicitly associate denial-of-service attacks with availability risks, making availability the most directly affected cybersecurity principle.

Digital signatures provideauthentication,integrity, andnon-repudiation, but they donot provide confidentiality. A digital signature verifies who sent the message and ensures it was not altered, but the content remains readable unless encryption is also applied.

Confidentiality requires encryption, typically using symmetric or asymmetric cryptography. Digital signatures are often combined with encryption (such as in TLS or secure email), but by themselves they do not hide message contents.

ICMP is used for network diagnostics, including ping operations that test host availability. RFC 792 defines ICMP behavior.