ECCouncil 212-89 (EC-Council Certified Incident Handler) Practice Test 60

Question 590

After technical restoration, responders document the weakness exposed by: A service remains unavailable after malicious traffic stops because a gateway's session table is still exhausted. Which long-term control would reduce exposure to this specific pattern?

  1. Monitor connection state exhaustion and test recovery procedures
  2. Verify normal new connections and tune session timeouts appropriately
  3. Expire abusive state entries through approved controls without dropping all production sessions
  4. Do not expose unrestricted recursion and monitor resolver capacity
  5. Measure current session-table usage and compare with live traffic volume

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Capacity alarms provide earlier warning during floods; this turns the weakness behind whether stale state prevents recovery into a measurable prevention requirement.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Restoration depends on state resources, not just stopping packets; the requirement concerns whether stale state prevents recovery, so case recovery is not future-risk control.

C:

Selective cleanup can recover capacity while limiting disruption; the goal is recurrence prevention for whether stale state prevents recovery. One-time protection is not durable prevention.

D:

Baseline protections reduce abuse as an amplifier or target; this serves whether resolver resource exhaustion is the outage cause, whereas the requested result is recurrence prevention involving whether stale state prevents recovery.

E:

Residual device state can sustain an outage after the attack source subsides; the case needs recurrence prevention addressing whether stale state prevents recovery; an investigation is not recurrence prevention.

Question 591

The team has retained the initial evidence and is assessing recovery from: An employee uses a corporate proxy to upload classified engineering files to an unauthorized personal cloud account. What restoration task closes the identified integrity or control gap?

  1. Remove the tunnel client and review affected access and policy violations
  2. Assess transferred information and revoke unsanctioned sharing links where possible
  3. Block the unapproved upload channel and preserve evidence for HR and security review
  4. Enforce data loss prevention policies based on classification and destination

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

Recovery addresses data exposure rather than only browsing access; the resulting state needs verification against the original concern: whether network policy misuse caused data leakage.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Response should determine whether sensitive data crossed the alternate channel; the relevant condition for that step is whether unsanctioned tunneling bypasses inspection, which is not shown for whether network policy misuse caused data leakage.

C:

Response should stop further disclosure while respecting due process; the case needs trusted restoration addressing whether network policy misuse caused data leakage; temporary protection does not complete correction.

D:

Content-aware controls limit improper transfers; when judging whether network policy misuse caused data leakage, future hardening is not current-state recovery; this is instead recurrence prevention.

Question 592

A long-term control assessment uses this recent event: An API service fails under a small number of computationally expensive authenticated search requests. Which change provides measurable prevention rather than an emergency workaround?

  1. Correlate endpoint latency, query cost, authenticated caller and request frequency
  2. Baseline client demand and test throttling before incidents
  3. Optimize expensive queries and confirm capacity after controls apply
  4. Use per-client quotas, query budgets and abuse analytics

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Business-aware controls limit layer-seven denial of service; it closes a repeatable gap revealed by whether application-layer resource exhaustion is responsible without removing useful monitoring.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Low-volume requests can exhaust CPU or database resources without a volumetric flood; the goal is recurrence prevention for whether application-layer resource exhaustion is responsible. An investigation is not recurrence prevention.

B:

Well-calibrated controls reduce collateral denial of service; that method could help with whether mitigation is blocking legitimate clients; the recurrence prevention decision here involves whether application-layer resource exhaustion is responsible.

C:

A sustainable fix addresses resource amplification; the case needs recurrence prevention addressing whether application-layer resource exhaustion is responsible; case recovery is not future-risk control.

Question 593

Service owners need a bounded short-term safeguard after observing: An attacker uses a compromised switch management account to add a port mirror toward an unauthorized collector. Investigators need both a defensible factual finding and a limited immediate safeguard. Which TWO actions jointly satisfy those requirements? (Choose TWO.)

  1. Inspect switch configuration diff, command audit and physical port inventory
  2. Restore trusted switch configuration and rotate administration credentials
  3. Use reviewed network-device configuration management and admin MFA
  4. Rotate local administrator passwords and inspect altered server configurations
  5. Disable the unauthorized mirror and restrict compromised management access
  6. Require peer-reviewed policy-as-code checks for management ingress

Explanation

Correct Answers

A:

A mirror configuration can reveal confidential traffic without changing production routes; within the combined response for whether configuration change enabled traffic interception, this supplies evidence validation: this permits a traceable finding about whether configuration change enabled traffic interception before the team makes a disruptive change.

E:

Stopping the copy path limits continued interception; within the combined response for whether configuration change enabled traffic interception, this supplies initial containment or preservation: it protects the affected workflow while investigators continue resolving whether configuration change enabled traffic interception.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Remediation must address both setup and access method; the requirement concerns whether configuration change enabled traffic interception, so corrective follow-through follows initial protection.

C:

Change control exposes covert monitoring configuration; the goal is initial containment or preservation for whether configuration change enabled traffic interception. Prevention cannot replace immediate action.

D:

Access removal should precede reintegration of affected servers; the other incident centers on whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread, not this initial containment or preservation question about whether configuration change enabled traffic interception.

F:

Preventive validation catches broad administrator access rules; this serves which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability, whereas the requested result is initial containment or preservation involving whether configuration change enabled traffic interception.

Question 594

A case advances from immediate protection to root-cause correction after: A firewall rule permits inbound management traffic from any internet address after an emergency deployment. An incident plan must include factual validation, narrowly scoped protection, and trusted remediation—not only prevention. Which THREE actions cover those stages? (Choose THREE.)

  1. Use reviewed network-device configuration management and admin MFA
  2. Revert the excessive rule and review administrative sessions during exposure
  3. Require peer-reviewed policy-as-code checks for management ingress
  4. Restrict management access to approved jump hosts or private networks
  5. Manage SSH keys centrally and alert on unexpected remote port forwarding
  6. Review rule hit logs, deployment diff and management-plane listening interfaces

Explanation

Correct Answers

B:

Recovery checks whether anyone exploited the open access path; within the combined response for which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability, this supplies trusted restoration: technical closure should demonstrate that the control gap behind which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability is actually corrected.

D:

Source constraints reduce internet attack surface immediately; within the combined response for which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability, this supplies initial containment or preservation: it protects the affected workflow while investigators continue resolving which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability.

F:

A broad source range can expose administrative services beyond intended operators; within the combined response for which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability, this supplies evidence validation: this permits a traceable finding about which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability before the team makes a disruptive change.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Change control exposes covert monitoring configuration; the activity targets whether configuration change enabled traffic interception; trusted restoration here concerns which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability.

C:

Preventive validation catches broad administrator access rules; the requirement concerns which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability, so future hardening is not current-state recovery.

E:

Controls reduce covert tunneling through legitimate tools; it is meant to address whether outbound encrypted traffic enables inbound control, not trusted restoration for which configuration allowed unauthorized administrative reachability.

Question 595

An improvement plan must address recurrence after this case: A research lab's network is used to run unauthorized cryptomining over an allowed outbound port. What should the owner add to the normal control review to reduce recurrence?

  1. Remove mining software and inspect for credential theft or persistence
  2. Restrict direct SMTP egress and monitor abnormal sending rates
  3. Correlate flow destinations, host processes and workload approvals
  4. Use egress controls and workload accounting alerts on shared compute systems

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

Visibility reduces hidden misuse; its effectiveness can be exercised against the warning conditions associated with whether resource consumption is policy abuse or sanctioned computation.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Unexpected mining may be a symptom of broader compromise; case recovery is not future-risk control in the decision about whether resource consumption is policy abuse or sanctioned computation.

B:

Central mail relays enable better abuse controls; that method could help with whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse; the recurrence prevention decision here involves whether resource consumption is policy abuse or sanctioned computation.

C:

Port number alone cannot establish whether compute activity is legitimate; when judging whether resource consumption is policy abuse or sanctioned computation, an investigation is not recurrence prevention; this is instead evidence validation.

Question 596

While full remediation remains pending, the commander receives this incident report: Access logs show unauthorized RDP logins from one workstation to several servers using a privileged local account. The current decision requires two different outcomes: evidence-based verification AND initial protection, without treating cleanup as complete. Which TWO measures provide those outcomes? (Choose TWO.)

  1. Compare RDP logon events, source identifiers and reused account names
  2. Isolate the source workstation and disable exposed RDP account sessions
  3. Rotate affected appliance secrets and investigate actions during the session
  4. Use unique local admin credentials and restrict RDP to managed jump hosts
  5. Rotate local administrator passwords and inspect altered server configurations

Explanation

Correct Answers

A:

Repeated privileged remote logons indicate likely credential-driven movement; within the combined response for whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread, this supplies evidence validation: for this investigation, the relevant uncertainty is whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread, so independent confirmation matters.

B:

Containing the pivot host and identity limits further movement; within the combined response for whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread, this supplies initial containment or preservation: this reduces current exposure associated with whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread and permits later corrective work.

Incorrect Answers

C:

Cleanup must inspect what the unauthorized login changed; the relevant condition for that step is whether old vendor identities are still enabled, which is not shown for whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread.

D:

Tiered remote management reduces lateral exposure; the goal is initial containment or preservation for whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread. Prevention cannot replace immediate action.

E:

Access removal should precede reintegration of affected servers; corrective follow-through follows initial protection in the decision about whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread.

Question 597

A security analyst is asked to validate the following reported behavior: Traffic engineers see rising HTTP 429 responses after enabling emergency rate limiting on a public service. Which check can confirm the relevant facts before a disruptive action?

  1. Correlate 429 rates, client identity and completed legitimate transactions
  2. Correlate endpoint latency, query cost, authenticated caller and request frequency
  3. Baseline client demand and test throttling before incidents
  4. Refine rate limits with authenticated-user and path context

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Excessive throttling can become a self-inflicted availability issue; the review should retain source and timing information relevant to whether mitigation is blocking legitimate clients.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Low-volume requests can exhaust CPU or database resources without a volumetric flood; this serves whether application-layer resource exhaustion is responsible, whereas the requested result is evidence validation involving whether mitigation is blocking legitimate clients.

C:

Well-calibrated controls reduce collateral denial of service; the case needs evidence validation addressing whether mitigation is blocking legitimate clients; prevention is not incident verification.

D:

Targeted thresholds protect service capacity without unfairly blocking users; when judging whether mitigation is blocking legitimate clients, immediate protection does not substantiate findings; this is instead initial containment or preservation.

Question 598

The immediate risk must be managed. The response record describes: A shared conference-room machine generates high volumes of unsolicited email using the corporate address space. The first response plan must document the reported condition AND limit near-term harm. Select TWO case-specific steps. (Choose TWO.)

  1. Restrict direct SMTP egress and monitor abnormal sending rates
  2. Stop unauthorized outbound SMTP from the host and isolate it
  3. Review SMTP connection logs, user sessions and process activity
  4. Investigate sending code and remove any unwanted scheduled tasks
  5. Remove mining software and inspect for credential theft or persistence

Explanation

Correct Answers

B:

Network containment protects domain reputation and limits distribution; within the combined response for whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse, this supplies initial containment or preservation: the action limits the impact connected to whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse without assuming the underlying flaw is already gone.

C:

A mail burst may be caused by malware or unauthorized bulk-mail software; within the combined response for whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse, this supplies evidence validation: the review should retain source and timing information relevant to whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Central mail relays enable better abuse controls; when judging whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse, prevention cannot replace immediate action; this is instead recurrence prevention.

D:

Restoration requires eliminating the email source; the goal is initial containment or preservation for whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse. Corrective follow-through follows initial protection.

E:

Unexpected mining may be a symptom of broader compromise; the other incident centers on whether resource consumption is policy abuse or sanctioned computation, not this initial containment or preservation question about whether host misuse is causing outbound abuse.

Question 599

The recurrence-prevention decision is based on this report: An employee routes corporate traffic through an unauthorized consumer VPN service to evade approved content restrictions. What measure strengthens readiness against the observed event?

  1. Enforce managed egress gateways and approved VPN clients
  2. Remove the tunnel client and review affected access and policy violations
  3. Use application-aware proxy policies and allowlisted remote support tools
  4. Inspect process, destination and TLS session telemetry against allowed VPN inventory

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Controlled routes make misuse easier to detect; a periodic review of this safeguard can track the risk described by whether unsanctioned tunneling bypasses inspection.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Response should determine whether sensitive data crossed the alternate channel; the goal is recurrence prevention for whether unsanctioned tunneling bypasses inspection. Case recovery is not future-risk control.

C:

Approved remote paths provide audit and access controls; the activity targets whether tunneled remote administration violates access policy; recurrence prevention here concerns whether unsanctioned tunneling bypasses inspection.

D:

Encrypted traffic may hide unauthorized routing without proving the underlying payload; the case needs recurrence prevention addressing whether unsanctioned tunneling bypasses inspection; an investigation is not recurrence prevention.

Question 600

The first task is to corroborate an alert. The case notes state: A compromised identity establishes a reverse SSH tunnel from a database host to an external server. What should the investigator examine to distinguish a substantiated finding from an assumption?

  1. Terminate the tunnel and restrict unauthorized SSH egress from the host
  2. Manage SSH keys centrally and alert on unexpected remote port forwarding
  3. Correlate SSH process arguments with firewall flows and local listening ports
  4. Compare RDP logon events, source identifiers and reused account names
  5. Remove unauthorized keys and startup entries and rotate exposed credentials

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

A reverse tunnel can expose internal services through an outbound connection; it makes the determination of whether outbound encrypted traffic enables inbound control defensible and reviewable by the incident owner.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Blocking the control path limits remote database reachability; the requirement concerns whether outbound encrypted traffic enables inbound control, so immediate protection does not substantiate findings.

B:

Controls reduce covert tunneling through legitimate tools; the goal is evidence validation for whether outbound encrypted traffic enables inbound control. Prevention is not incident verification.

D:

Repeated privileged remote logons indicate likely credential-driven movement; the relevant condition for that step is whether local credential reuse enabled RDP spread, which is not shown for whether outbound encrypted traffic enables inbound control.

E:

Eradication closes both access and persistence mechanisms; when judging whether outbound encrypted traffic enables inbound control, recovery is not factual verification; this is instead trusted restoration.

EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (212-89) Practice Tests