Skip to content

CSSLP Practice Questions

Prepare for CSSLP with more than an answer.

339 questions in the full set19 sample questionsUpdated Jan 31, 2026
  1. 1

    Which of the following methods determines the principle name of the current user and returns the jav a.security.Principal object in the HttpServletRequest interface?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: A

    Explanation:
    The getUserPrincipal() method determines the principle name of the current user and returns the java.security.Principal object. The java.security.Principal object contains the remote user name. The value of the getUserPrincipal() method returns null if no user is authenticated. Answer: C is incorrect. The getRemoteUser() method returns the user name that is used for the client authentication. The value of the getRemoteUser() method returns null if no user is authenticated. Answer: B is incorrect. The isUserlnRole() method determines whether the remote user is granted a specified user role. The value of the isUserlnRole() method returns true if the remote user is granted the specified user role; otherwise it returns false. Answer: D is incorrect. The getCallerPrincipal() method is used to identify a caller using a java.security.Principal object. It is not used in the HttpServletRequest interface.

  2. 2

    Which of the following DoD directives defines DITSCAP as the standard C&A process for the Department of Defense?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: D

    Explanation:
    DITSCAP stands for DoD Information Technology Security Certification and Accreditation Process. The DoD Directive 5200.40 (DoD Information Technology Security Certification and Accreditation Process) established the DITSCAP as the standard C&A process for the Department of Defense. The Department of Defense Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process (DIACAP) is a process defined by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) for managing risk. DIACAP replaced the former process, known as DITSCAP, in 2006. Answer: B is incorrect. This DoD Directive is known as National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual. Answer: C is incorrect. This DoD Directive is known as Defense Information Management (IM) Program. Answer: A is incorrect. This DoD Directive is known as Management and Control of Information Requirements.

  3. 3

    Joseph works as a Software Developer for WebTech Inc. He wants to protect the algorithms and the techniques of programming that he uses in developing an application. Which of the following laws are used to protect a part of software?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: B

    Explanation:
    Patent laws are used to protect the duplication of software. Software patents cover the algorithms and techniques that are used in creating the software. It does not cover the entire program of the software. Patents give the author the right to make and sell his product. The time of the patent of a product is limited though, i.e., the author of the product has the right to use the patent for only a specific length of time. Answer: D is incorrect.
    Copyright laws protect original works or creations of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.

  4. 4

    Which of the following DITSCAP C&A phases takes place between the signing of the initial version of the SSAA and the formal accreditation of the system?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: D

    Explanation:
    The Phase 2 of DITSCAP C&A is known as Verification. The goal of this phase is to obtain a fully integrated system for certification testing and accreditation. This phase takes place between the signing of the initial version of the SSAA and the formal accreditation of the system. This phase verifies security requirements during system development. Answer: C, B, and A are incorrect. These phases do not take place between the signing of the initial version of the SSAA and the formal accreditation of the system.

  5. 5

    Which of the following documents is defined as a source document, which is most useful for the ISSE when classifying the needed security functionality?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: A

    Explanation:
    The Information Protection Policy (IPP) is defined as a source document, which is most useful for the ISSE when classifying the needed security functionality. The IPP document consists of the threats to the information management and the security services and controls needed to respond to those threats. Answer: B is incorrect. The IMM is the source document describing the customer's needs based on identifying users, processes, and information. Answer: C is incorrect. The System Security Context is the output of SE and ISSEP. It is the translation of the requirements into system parameters and possible measurement concepts that meet the defined requirements. Answer: D is incorrect. The Concept of Operations (CONOPS) is a document describing the characteristics of a proposed system from the viewpoint of an individual who will use that system. It is used to communicate the quantitative and qualitative system characteristics to all stakeholders. CONOPS are widely used in the military or in government services, as well as other fields. A CONOPS generally evolves from a concept and is a description of how a set of capabilities may be employed to achieve desired objectives or a particular end state for a specific scenario.

  6. 6

    Which of the following is an open source network intrusion detection system?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: D

    Explanation:
    Snort is an open source network intrusion prevention and detection system that operates as a network sniffer. It logs activities of the network that is matched with the predefined signatures. Signatures can be designed for a wide range of traffic, including Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). The three main modes in which Snort can be configured are as follows:
    Sniffer mode: It reads the packets of the network and displays them in a continuous stream on the console. Packet logger mode: It logs the packets to the disk. Network intrusion detection mode: It is the most complex and configurable configuration, allowing Snort to analyze network traffic for matches against a user-defined rule set. Answer: B is incorrect. Macof is a tool of the dsn iff tool set and used to flood the local network with random MAC addresses. It causes some switches to fail open in repeating mode, and facilitates sniffing. Answer: C is incorrect. Sourcefire is the company that owns and maintains Snort. Answer: A is incorrect. NETSH is not a network intrusion detection system. NETSH is a command line tool to configure TCP/IP settings such as the IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, DNS, WINS addresses, etc.

  7. 7

    Which of the following statements about a host-based intrusion prevention system (HIPS) are true? Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose two.

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: C, D

    C, D -- Explanation:
    A host-based intrusion prevention system (HIPS) is an application usually employed on a single computer. It complements traditional finger- print-based and heuristic antivirus detection methods, since it does not need continuous updates to stay ahead of new malware. When a malicious code needs to modify the system or other software residing on the machine, a HIPS system will notice some of the resulting changes and prevent the action by default or notify the user for permission. It can handle encrypted and unencrypted traffic equally and cannot detect events scattered over the network. Answer: B is incorrect. Network address translation (NAT) is a technique that allows multiple computers to share one or more IP addresses. NAT is configured at the server between a private network and the Internet. It allows the computers in a private network to share a global, ISP assigned address. NAT modifies the headers of packets traversing the server. For packets outbound to the Internet, it translates the source addresses from private to public, whereas for packets inbound from the Internet, it translates the destination addresses from public to private. Answer: A is incorrect. Network intrusion prevention system (NIPS) is a hardware/software platform that is designed to analyze, detect, and report on security related events. NIPS is designed to inspect traffic and based on its configuration or security policy, it can drop malicious traffic. NIPS is able to detect events scattered over the network and can react.

    C, D -- Explanation:
    A host-based intrusion prevention system (HIPS) is an application usually employed on a single computer. It complements traditional finger- print-based and heuristic antivirus detection methods, since it does not need continuous updates to stay ahead of new malware. When a malicious code needs to modify the system or other software residing on the machine, a HIPS system will notice some of the resulting changes and prevent the action by default or notify the user for permission. It can handle encrypted and unencrypted traffic equally and cannot detect events scattered over the network. Answer: B is incorrect. Network address translation (NAT) is a technique that allows multiple computers to share one or more IP addresses. NAT is configured at the server between a private network and the Internet. It allows the computers in a private network to share a global, ISP assigned address. NAT modifies the headers of packets traversing the server. For packets outbound to the Internet, it translates the source addresses from private to public, whereas for packets inbound from the Internet, it translates the destination addresses from public to private. Answer: A is incorrect. Network intrusion prevention system (NIPS) is a hardware/software platform that is designed to analyze, detect, and report on security related events. NIPS is designed to inspect traffic and based on its configuration or security policy, it can drop malicious traffic. NIPS is able to detect events scattered over the network and can react.

  8. 8

    You work as a project manager for a company. The company has started a new security software project. The software configuration management will be used throughout the lifecycle of the project. You are tasked to modify the functional features and the basic logic of the software and then make them compatible to the initial design of the project. Which of the following procedures of the configuration management will you follow to accomplish the task?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: B

    Explanation:
    Configuration control is a procedure of the Configuration management. Configuration control is a set of processes and approval stages required to change a configuration item's attributes and to re-baseline them. It supports the change of the functional and physical attributes of software at various points in time, and performs systematic control of changes to the identified attributes. Answer: C is incorrect. Configuration audits confirm that the configuration identification for a configured item is accurate, complete, and will meet specified program needs. Configuration audits are broken into functional and physical configuration audits. They occur either at delivery or at the moment of effecting the change. A functional configuration audit ensures that functional and performance attributes of a configuration item are achieved, while a physical configuration audit ensures that a configuration item is installed in accordance with the requirements of its detailed design documentation. Answer: D is incorrect. Configuration identification is the process of identifying the attributes that define every aspect of a configuration item. A configuration item is a product (hardware and/or software) that has an end-user purpose. These attributes are recorded in configuration documentation and baselined.
    Baselining an attribute forces formal configuration change control processes to be effected in the event that these attributes are changed. Answer: A is incorrect. The configuration status accounting procedure is the ability to record and report on the configuration baselines associated with each configuration item at any moment of time. It supports the functional and physical attributes of software at various points in time, and performs systematic control of accounting to the identified attributes for the purpose of maintaining software integrity and traceability throughout the software development life cycle.

  9. 9

    In which of the following IDS evasion attacks does an attacker send a data packet such that IDS accepts the data packet but the host computer rejects it?

    Show answer details

    Correct answer: D

    Explanation:
    In an insertion attack, an IDS accepts a packet and assumes that the host computer will also accept it. But in reality, when a host system rejects the packet, the IDS accepts the attacking string that will exploit vulnerabilities in the IDS. Such attacks can badly infect IDS signatures and IDS signature analysis. Answer: B is incorrect. In this approach, an attacker sends packets in such a manner that one packet fragment overlaps data from a previous fragment. The information is organized in the packets in such a manner that when the victim's computer reassembles the packets, an attack string is executed on the victim's computer.
    Since the attacking string is in fragmented form, IDS is unable to detect it. Answer: C is incorrect. In this approach, an attacker sends packets in such a manner that one packet fragment overwrites data from a previous fragment. The information is organized into the packets in such a manner that when the victim's computer reassembles the packets, an attack string is executed on the victim's computer. Since the attacking string is in fragmented form, IDS becomes unable to detect it. Answer: A is incorrect. An evasion attack is one in which an IDS rejects a malicious packet but the host computer accepts it. Since an IDS has rejected it, it does not check the contents of the packet. Hence, using this technique, an attacker can exploit the host computer. In many cases, it is quite simple for an attacker to send such data packets that can easily perform evasion attacks on an IDSs.

Create an account to continue.