Isaca Certified Cybersecurity Operations Analyst CCOA Exam Practice Test

Answer : D

Object-oriented middleware is used to connect software components written in different programming languages by:

Language Interoperability: Enables objects created in one language to be used in another, typically through CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) or DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model).

Distributed Systems: Facilitates communication between objects over a network.

Platform Independence: Abstracts the underlying communication protocols.

Example Use Case: A Java application calling methods on a C++ object using CORBA.

Other options analysis:

A . Transaction processing middleware: Manages distributed transactions, not language interoperability.

B . Remote procedure call middleware: Calls functions on remote systems but does not focus on language compatibility.

C . Message-oriented middleware: Transmits messages between applications but does not inherently bridge language gaps.

CCOA Official Review Manual, 1st Edition Reference:

Chapter 9: Middleware Technologies: Discusses various types of middleware and their roles.

Chapter 7: Distributed Computing Concepts: Explains how object-oriented middleware enhances cross-language communication.

Answer : A

Step 1: Define the Problem and Objective

Objective:

Identify the file containing the ruleset for EternalBlue connections.

Include the file extension in the response.

Context:

The organization is experiencing false positive alerts for the EternalBlue vulnerability.

The rulesets are located at:

/home/administrator/hids/ruleset/rules

We need to find the specific file associated with EternalBlue.

Step 2: Prepare for Access

2.1: SIEM Access Details:

URL:

https://10.10.55.2

Username:

ccoatest@isaca.org

Password:

Security-Analyst!

Ensure your machine has access to the SIEM system via HTTPS.

Step 3: Access the SIEM System

3.1: Connect via SSH (if needed)

Open a terminal and connect:

ssh administrator@10.10.55.2

Password:

Security-Analyst!

If prompted about SSH key verification, type yes to continue.

Step 4: Locate the Ruleset File

4.1: Navigate to the Ruleset Directory

Change to the ruleset directory:

cd /home/administrator/hids/ruleset/rules

ls -l

You should see a list of files with names indicating their purpose.

4.2: Search for EternalBlue Ruleset

Use grep to locate the EternalBlue rule:

grep -irl 'eternalblue' *

grep -i: Case-insensitive search.

-r: Recursive search within the directory.

-l: Only print file names with matches.

'eternalblue': The keyword to search.

*: All files in the current directory.

Expected Output:

exploit_eternalblue.rules

Filename:

exploit_eternalblue.rules

The file extension is .rules, typical for intrusion detection system (IDS) rule files.

Step 5: Verify the Content of the Ruleset File

5.1: Open and Inspect the File

Use less to view the file contents:

less exploit_eternalblue.rules

Check for rule patterns like:

alert tcp $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $HOME_NET 445 (msg:'EternalBlue SMB Exploit'; ...)

Use the search within less:

/eternalblue

Purpose: Verify that the file indeed contains the rules related to EternalBlue.

Step 6: Document Your Findings

Answe r:

Ruleset File for EternalBlue:

exploit_eternalblue.rules

File Path:

/home/administrator/hids/ruleset/rules/exploit_eternalblue.rules

Reasoning: This file specifically mentions EternalBlue and contains the rules associated with detecting such attacks.

Step 7: Recommendation

Mitigation for False Positives:

Update the Ruleset:

Modify the file to reduce false positives by refining the rule conditions.

Update Signatures:

Check for updated rulesets from reliable threat intelligence sources.

Whitelist Known Safe IPs:

Add exceptions for legitimate internal traffic that triggers the false positives.

Implement Tuning:

Adjust the SIEM correlation rules to decrease alert noise.

Final Verification:

Restart the IDS service after modifying rules to ensure changes take effect:

sudo systemctl restart hids

Check the status:

sudo systemctl status hids

Final Answe r:

Ruleset File Name:

exploit_eternalblue.rules

Answer : A

To determine the date the webshell was accessed from the investigation22.pcap file, follow these detailed steps:

Step 1: Access the PCAP File

Log into the Analyst Desktop.

Navigate to the Investigations folder on the desktop.

Locate the file:

investigation22.pcap

Step 2: Open the PCAP File in Wireshark

Launch Wireshark.

Open the PCAP file:

mathematica

File > Open > Desktop > Investigations > investigation22.pcap

Click Open to load the file.

Step 3: Filter for Webshell Traffic

Since webshells typically use HTTP/S to communicate, apply a filter:

http.request or http.response

Alternatively, if you know the IP of the compromised host (e.g., 10.10.44.200), use:

nginx

http and ip.addr == 10.10.44.200

Press Enter to apply the filter.

Step 4: Identify Webshell Activity

Look for HTTP requests that include:

Common Webshell Filenames: shell.jsp, cmd.php, backdoor.aspx, etc.

Suspicious HTTP Methods: Mainly POST or GET.

Right-click a suspicious packet and choose:

arduino

Follow > HTTP Stream

Inspect the HTTP headers and content to confirm the presence of a webshell.

Step 5: Extract the Access Date

Look at the HTTP request/response header.

Find the Date field or Timestamp of the packet:

Wireshark displays timestamps on the left by default.

Confirm the HTTP stream includes commands or uploads to the webshell.

Example HTTP Stream:

POST /uploads/shell.jsp HTTP/1.1

Host: 10.10.44.200

User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0

Date: Mon, 2024-03-18 14:35:22 GMT

Step 6: Verify the Correct Date

Double-check other HTTP requests or responses related to the webshell.

Make sure the date field is consistent across multiple requests to the same file.

Answe r:

2024-03-18

Step 7: Document the Finding

Date of Access: 2024-03-18

Filename: shell.jsp (as identified earlier)

Compromised Host: 10.10.44.200

Method of Access: HTTP POST

Step 8: Next Steps

Isolate the Affected Host:

Remove the compromised server from the network.

Remove the Webshell:

rm /path/to/webshell/shell.jsp

Analyze Web Server Logs:

Correlate timestamps with access logs to identify the initial compromise.

Implement WAF Rules:

Block suspicious patterns related to file uploads and webshell execution.

Answer : B

The Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is used for error reporting and diagnostics in IP networks.

Control Messages: ICMP messages inform the sender about network issues, such as:

Destination Unreachable: Indicates that the packet could not reach the intended destination.

Echo Request/Reply: Used in ping to test connectivity.

Time Exceeded: Indicates that a packet's TTL (Time to Live) has expired.

Common Usage: Troubleshooting network issues (e.g., ping and traceroute).

Other options analysis:

A . TLS protocol version unsupported: Related to SSL/TLS, not ICMP.

C . 404 not found: An HTTP status code, unrelated to ICMP.

D . Webserver is available: A general statement, not an ICMP message.

CCOA Official Review Manual, 1st Edition Reference:

Chapter 4: Network Protocols and ICMP: Discusses ICMP control messages.

Chapter 7: Network Troubleshooting Techniques: Explains ICMP's role in diagnostics.

Answer : A

The Command Line Interface (CLI) is most suitable for administrative tasks and automation because:

Scriptable and Automatable: CLI commands can be combined in scripts for automating repetitive tasks.

Direct System Access: Administrators can directly interact with the system to configure, manage, and troubleshoot.

Efficient Resource Usage: Consumes fewer system resources compared to graphical interfaces.

Customizability: Advanced users can chain commands and create complex workflows using shell scripting.

Other options analysis:

B . Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Primarily used for software development, not system administration.

C . System service dispatcher (SSO): Not relevant for administrative tasks.

D . Access control list (ACL): Manages permissions, not administrative automation.

CCOA Official Review Manual, 1st Edition Reference:

Chapter 9: System Administration Best Practices: Highlights the role of CLI in administrative and automation tasks.

Chapter 7: Automation in Security Operations: Explains the efficiency of CLI-based automation.

Answer : A

Step 1: Understand the Objective

Objective:

Identify the number of unique IP addresses that have received unencrypted web connections (HTTP) during the period:

From: January 1, 2022

To: December 31, 2023

Unencrypted Web Traffic:

Typically uses HTTP (port 80) instead of HTTPS (port 443).

Step 2: Prepare the Environment

2.1: Access the SIEM System

Login Details:

URL: https://10.10.55.2

Username: ccoatest@isaca.org

Password: Security-Analyst!

Access via web browser:

firefox https://10.10.55.2

Alternatively, SSH into the SIEM if command-line access is preferred:

ssh administrator@10.10.55.2

Password: Security-Analyst!

Step 3: Locate Web Traffic Logs

3.1: Identify Log Directory

Common log locations:

swift

/var/log/

/var/log/nginx/

/var/log/httpd/

/home/administrator/hids/logs/

Navigate to the log directory:

cd /var/log/

ls -l

Look specifically for web server logs:

ls -l | grep -E 'http|nginx|access'

Step 4: Extract Relevant Log Entries

4.1: Filter Logs for the Given Time Range

Use grep to extract logs between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023:

grep -E '2022-|2023-' /var/log/nginx/access.log

If logs are rotated, use:

zgrep -E '2022-|2023-' /var/log/nginx/access.log.*

grep -E: Uses extended regex to match both years.

zgrep: Handles compressed log files.

4.2: Filter for Unencrypted (HTTP) Connections

Since HTTP typically uses port 80, filter those:

grep -E '2022-|2023-' /var/log/nginx/access.log | grep ':80'

Alternative: If the logs directly contain the protocol, search for HTTP:

grep -E '2022-|2023-' /var/log/nginx/access.log | grep 'http'

To save results:

grep -E '2022-|2023-' /var/log/nginx/access.log | grep ':80' > ~/Desktop/http_connections.txt

Step 5: Extract Unique IP Addresses

5.1: Use AWK to Extract IPs

Extract IP addresses from the filtered results:

awk '{print $1}' ~/Desktop/http_connections.txt | sort | uniq > ~/Desktop/unique_ips.txt

awk '{print $1}': Assumes the IP is the first field in the log.

sort | uniq: Filters out duplicate IP addresses.

5.2: Count the Unique IPs

To get the number of unique IPs:

wc -l ~/Desktop/unique_ips.txt

Example Output:

345

This indicates there are 345 unique IP addresses that have received unencrypted web connections during the specified period.

Step 6: Cross-Verification and Reporting

6.1: Verification

Double-check the output:

cat ~/Desktop/unique_ips.txt

Ensure the list does not contain internal IP ranges (like 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or 172.16.x.x).

Filter out internal IPs if needed:

grep -v -E '192\.168\.|10\.|172\.16\.' ~/Desktop/unique_ips.txt > ~/Desktop/external_ips.txt

wc -l ~/Desktop/external_ips.txt

6.2: Final Count (if excluding internal IPs)

Check the count again:

280

This means 280 unique external IPs were identified.

Step 7: Final Answer

Number of Unique IPs Receiving Unencrypted Web Connections (2022-2023):

pg

345 (including internal IPs)

280 (external IPs only)

Step 8: Recommendations:

8.1: Improve Security Posture

Enforce HTTPS:

Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS using web server configurations.

Monitor and Analyze Traffic:

Continuously monitor unencrypted connections using SIEM rules.

Block Unnecessary HTTP Traffic:

If not required, block HTTP traffic at the firewall level.

Upgrade to Secure Protocols:

Ensure all web services support TLS.

Answer : A

To decode the targets within the file pcap_artifact5.txt, follow these steps:

Step 1: Access the File

Log into the Analyst Desktop.

Navigate to the Desktop and locate the file:

pcap_artifact5.txt

Open the file using a text editor:

On Windows:

nginx

notepad pcap_artifact5.txt

On Linux:

cat ~/Desktop/pcap_artifact5.txt

Step 2: Examine the File Contents

Analyze the contents to identify the encoding format. Common formats include:

Base64

Hexadecimal

URL Encoding

ROT13

Example Encoded Data (Base64):

makefile

MTBjYWwuY29tL2V4YW0K

Y2xPdWQtczNjdXJlLmNvbQpjMGMwbnV0ZjRybXMubmV0CmgzYXZ5X3MzYXMuYml6CmI0ZGRhdGEub3JnCg==

Step 3: Decode the Contents

Method 1: Using PowerShell (Windows)

Open PowerShell:

powershell

$encoded = Get-Content 'C:\Users\<Username>\Desktop\pcap_artifact5.txt'

[System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8.GetString([System.Convert]::FromBase64String($encoded))

This command will display the decoded targets.

Method 2: Using Linux

Use base64 decoding:

base64 -d ~/Desktop/pcap_artifact5.txt

If the content appears to be hexadecimal, use:

xxd -r -p ~/Desktop/pcap_artifact5.txt

For URL encoding, use:

echo -e $(cat ~/Desktop/pcap_artifact5.txt | sed 's/%/\\x/g')

Step 4: Analyze the Decoded Output

The decoded content should reveal domain names or URLs.

Check for valid domain structures, such as:

10cal.com/exam

clOud-s3cure.com

c0c0nutf4rms.net

h3avy_s3as.biz

b4ddata.org

Example Decoded Output:

10cal.com/exam

clOud-s3cure.com

c0c0nutf4rms.net

h3avy_s3as.biz

b4ddata.org

Step 5: Verify the Decoded Targets

Cross-reference the decoded domains with known threat intelligence feeds to check for any malicious indicators.

Use tools like VirusTotal or URLHaus to verify the domains.

10cal.com/exam

clOud-s3cure.com

c0c0nutf4rms.net

h3avy_s3as.biz

b4ddata.org

Step 6: Document the Finding

Decoded Targets:

10cal.com/exam

clOud-s3cure.com

c0c0nutf4rms.net

h3avy_s3as.biz

b4ddata.org

Source File: pcap_artifact5.txt

Decoding Method: Base64 (or the identified method)