350-201 Question 228
Select 3An organization has identified several high-risk vulnerabilities during a routine security assessment of its network. As a cybersecurity analyst, what general mitigation steps should you recommend to address these vulnerabilities effectively?
- A
Apply security patches and updates to affected systems immediately.
- B
Disable unnecessary services and close unused ports on affected hosts.
- C
Postpone remediation until the next scheduled maintenance window to avoid disruptions.
- D
Perform a risk assessment to prioritize vulnerabilities based on their criticality.
- E
Monitor the environment for signs of exploitation before taking any action.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, B, D
Explanation
The proper steps to mitigate vulnerabilities include addressing them through immediate action (applying patches), reducing the attack surface by disabling unnecessary services, and prioritizing remediation efforts through a risk assessment. Delaying actions or relying solely on monitoring without proactive mitigation leaves the systems exposed to potential attacks.
- A. Correct.
Applying security patches and updates is a critical step in mitigating vulnerabilities as it directly addresses the specific issues identified.
- B. Correct.
Disabling unnecessary services and closing unused ports reduces the attack surface and helps prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities.
- C. Incorrect.
Postponing remediation increases the window of exposure and the likelihood of exploitation, making this an unsuitable recommendation.
- D. Correct.
Performing a risk assessment helps prioritize vulnerabilities based on their impact and likelihood, ensuring critical issues are addressed first.
- E. Incorrect.
Monitoring for exploitation without taking proactive steps leaves the systems vulnerable and does not mitigate the identified risks.