200-201 Question 42
Single answerA cybersecurity analyst is tasked with evaluating the risk of a newly discovered vulnerability in the organization's internal email server. The analyst uses a risk scoring model that incorporates multiple factors, such as the likelihood of exploitation and the potential impact on business operations. After the assessment, the risk score is determined to be 'high.' What is the most appropriate next step to reduce this risk?
- A
Apply a security patch to address the vulnerability immediately.
- B
Ignore the vulnerability since no known exploits currently exist.
- C
Increase the organization's cyber insurance coverage to mitigate financial consequences.
- D
Conduct a full-scale penetration test to verify the vulnerability's exploitability.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Risk reduction involves taking actions that directly decrease the likelihood of exploitation or the impact of a vulnerability. Applying a security patch is the most effective way to achieve this in the given scenario, as it addresses the vulnerability itself. Other options, such as ignoring the issue or increasing insurance, do not reduce the actual risk, while conducting a penetration test is not immediately relevant to mitigating this specific threat.
- A. Correct.
Applying a security patch is the most direct and effective way to reduce the risk associated with a known vulnerability. This action addresses the root cause and decreases both the likelihood of exploitation and the potential impact.
- B. Incorrect.
Ignoring the vulnerability is not a valid risk reduction strategy. Even if no exploits currently exist, the vulnerability could be exploited in the future, leaving the system exposed.
- C. Incorrect.
Increasing cyber insurance does not reduce the actual risk. While it mitigates financial consequences, it does not address the vulnerability or prevent exploitation.
- D. Incorrect.
Conducting a penetration test is useful for identifying additional vulnerabilities, but it does not directly reduce the risk of the known issue. This step could be considered after the vulnerability is patched to confirm security improvements.