Top 30 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) only focused on the Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) covering below topics,along with their answers and explanations.
• Understanding the role of IDS and IPS.
• Detecting and preventing malicious activities.
• Configuring and managing IDS/IPS for web security.
PRACTICE IT NOW TO SHARPEN YOUR CONCEPT AND KNOWLEDGE
1. What role does the term "packet filtering" play in the operation of an IPS?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Analyzing and selectively blocking or allowing network packets
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Packet filtering in an IPS involves analyzing and selectively blocking or allowing network packets.
2. How does an IPS handle encrypted traffic to detect and prevent malicious activities?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By decrypting and inspecting encrypted traffic before making decisions
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
An IPS handles encrypted traffic by decrypting and inspecting it before making decisions in web security.
3. What is the primary purpose of a "fail-open" configuration in an IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Ensuring uninterrupted network traffic in case of IPS failure
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
A "fail-open" configuration in an IPS ensures uninterrupted network traffic in case of IPS failure.
4. How does an IPS contribute to the prevention of DDoS attacks in web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By detecting and mitigating malicious traffic patterns associated with DDoS attacks
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
An IPS contributes to the prevention of DDoS attacks by detecting and mitigating malicious traffic patterns associated with such attacks.
5. In terms of deployment, what does a "tap mode" refer to in an IDS/IPS system?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Passive monitoring by tapping into network traffic without affecting it
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
In terms of deployment, "tap mode" in an IDS/IPS system refers to passive monitoring by tapping into network traffic without affecting it.
6. How does an IPS differentiate between normal and abnormal traffic in behavioral-based detection?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By establishing a baseline of normal behavior and flagging deviations
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
An IPS differentiates between normal and abnormal traffic in behavioral-based detection by establishing a baseline of normal behavior and flagging deviations.
7. What role does the term "sandboxing" play in the detection of unknown threats by an IPS?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Isolating and analyzing suspicious files in a controlled environment
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Sandboxing in an IPS involves isolating and analyzing suspicious files in a controlled environment for the detection of unknown threats.
8. What is the primary role of an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) in web security?
- Enhancing website aesthetics
- Actively blocking malicious traffic
- Monitoring and detecting potential security incidents
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
The primary role of an IDS is to monitor and detect potential security incidents in web security.
9. How does an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) differ from an IDS?
- By focusing on server performance
- By actively blocking malicious traffic in real-time
- By improving website aesthetics
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
An IPS actively blocks malicious traffic in real-time, distinguishing it from an IDS.
10. If an IDS and IPS were security personnel, how would you describe their responsibilities?
- IDS is the detective, investigating incidents; IPS is the security guard, actively preventing threats.
- IDS is the gatekeeper, allowing only trusted access; IPS is the crime investigator, analyzing incidents.
- IDS is the artist, enhancing the visual appeal; IPS is the traffic controller, managing the flow.
- IDS is the superhero, granting unrestricted access; IPS is the vigilant watchman, monitoring activity.
In the realm of security personnel, IDS is like the detective, investigating incidents, while IPS is the security guard, actively preventing threats.
11. What is the primary goal when configuring both IDS and IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Blocking all incoming and outgoing traffic
- Achieving a balance between detection and prevention
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
The primary goal when configuring IDS and IPS is to achieve a balance between detection and prevention in web security.
12. In the context of web security, how does an IDS contribute to incident response?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Actively blocking malicious traffic
- Providing alerts and data for incident investigation
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
An IDS contributes to incident response by providing alerts and data for incident investigation in web security.
13. What is the key advantage of real-time blocking in an IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Immediate prevention of malicious activities as they occur
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Real-time blocking in an IPS provides the key advantage of immediate prevention of malicious activities as they occur in web security.
14. How does signature-based detection work in an IDS/IPS for web security?
- By improving website aesthetics
- By blocking all incoming and outgoing traffic
- By matching patterns and signatures of known threats
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Signature-based detection works by matching patterns and signatures of known threats in web security.
15. In the context of web security, what is an anomaly-based detection approach in IDS/IPS?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Blocking all incoming and outgoing traffic
- Identifying deviations from normal behavior patterns
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Anomaly-based detection identifies deviations from normal behavior patterns in web security.
16. How does heuristics-based detection in an IDS/IPS contribute to identifying new and unknown threats?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By analyzing behavior and characteristics to detect novel threats
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Heuristics-based detection analyzes behavior and characteristics to detect novel threats in web security.
17. What is the primary challenge of false positives in the context of IDS/IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Mistakenly identifying legitimate traffic as malicious
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
The primary challenge of false positives is mistakenly identifying legitimate traffic as malicious in web security.
18. What is the significance of regularly updating signatures in an IDS/IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Keeping the system informed about the latest threats and vulnerabilities
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Regularly updating signatures keeps the system informed about the latest threats and vulnerabilities in web security.
19. Why is it important to fine-tune and customize rules in an IDS/IPS configuration?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Aligning with the specific needs and environment of the web application
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Fine-tuning and customizing rules are important to align with the specific needs and environment of the web application in IDS/IPS configuration.
20. What role does logging and alerting play in the management of IDS/IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Keeping a record of detected events and notifying administrators of potential threats
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Logging and alerting keep a record of detected events and notify administrators of potential threats in web security.
21. How can an organization mitigate the impact of false positives in IDS/IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Through regular tuning, analysis, and investigation of alerts
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Mitigating the impact of false positives involves regular tuning, analysis, and investigation of alerts in web security.
22. If an IDS/IPS were a guardian, what does the term "blocklist" refer to in web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- A list of known malicious entities or IP addresses to be actively blocked
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
In web security, a "blocklist" is a list of known malicious entities or IP addresses to be actively blocked by an IDS/IPS.
23. What is the primary function of a honeypot in the context of IDS/IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Acting as a decoy to attract and detect attackers
- Enhancing server performance
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
A honeypot acts as a decoy to attract and detect attackers in the context of IDS/IPS for web security.
24. How does a host-based IDS differ from a network-based IDS in terms of monitoring scope?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Host-based IDS monitors activities on a specific system; network-based IDS monitors network traffic.
- Enhancing server performance
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Host-based IDS monitors activities on a specific system, while network-based IDS monitors network traffic.
25. What is the purpose of a correlation engine in IDS/IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Analyzing multiple events to identify complex attack patterns
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
A correlation engine analyzes multiple events to identify complex attack patterns in IDS/IPS for web security.
26. In the realm of IDS/IPS, what is the term "shunning" referring to?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Actively blocking or isolating an attacker by manipulating firewall rules
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
In IDS/IPS, "shunning" refers to actively blocking or isolating an attacker by manipulating firewall rules.
27. How does a hybrid IDS/IPS system combine the strengths of both approaches?
- Improving website aesthetics
- By using both signature-based and behavior-based detection methods
- Enhancing server performance
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
A hybrid IDS/IPS system combines the strengths of both approaches by using both signature-based and behavior-based detection methods.
28. What is the role of threat intelligence feeds in IDS/IPS configurations for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Providing real-time information about known threats and vulnerabilities
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Threat intelligence feeds in IDS/IPS configurations provide real-time information about known threats and vulnerabilities.
29. If an IDS were a detective, what does the term "tuning" refer to in the investigative process?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Adjusting detection parameters and rules to reduce false positives and negatives
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
In the investigative process of an IDS, "tuning" refers to adjusting detection parameters and rules to reduce false positives and negatives.
30. What is the purpose of an "inline" deployment mode in an IPS for web security?
- Improving website aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Actively blocking malicious traffic in real-time
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
The "inline" deployment mode in an IPS actively blocks malicious traffic in real-time in web security.
