What assessment simulates a cyberattack to test company defenses? Learn why penetration testing is essential for identifying exploitable vulnerabilities and strengthening cybersecurity, a key topic for the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity 100-160 exam.
Table of Contents
Question
A security engineer wants to test the company’s defenses by simulating a cyberattack. What type of assessment should they conduct?
A. Vulnerability assessment
B. Risk analysis
C. Compliance audit
D. Incident response drill
E. Penetration test
Answer
E. Penetration test
Explanation
A penetration test simulates real-world attacks to find security weaknesses.
The most appropriate assessment for simulating a cyberattack to test a company’s defenses is a penetration test.
- A penetration test (or pen test) is an authorized, simulated cyberattack on a computer system, network, or application, conducted to evaluate its security posture.
- Penetration testers use the same tools and techniques as real attackers to identify, exploit, and demonstrate the impact of vulnerabilities. This process provides a realistic assessment of how well a company’s defenses would withstand an actual attack.
- The objective is not only to find weaknesses but also to show how those vulnerabilities could be exploited, allowing organizations to prioritize remediation and improve their security controls.
- Unlike vulnerability assessments, which only identify and list potential vulnerabilities, penetration testing actively exploits them to determine their real-world impact.
- Penetration testing is a proactive security measure and is often required for regulatory compliance and risk management.
A penetration test simulates real-world attacks to find and exploit security weaknesses, providing actionable insights to strengthen organizational defenses.
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