Operating System Security Concepts: Master OS Security Principles

Question 1

What is a potential drawback of implementing file system permissions in an operating system?

Accepted Answer

Can lead to permission conflicts and security breaches.

Answer

Enforces access control based on user privileges.

Answer

Prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Answer

Simplifies the management of access rights.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a user permission common in operating systems?

Accepted Answer

Modify File Owner

Answer

Read

Answer

Write

Answer

Execute

Question 3

In a typical file system, what permission grants the ability to make changes to the contents of a file or directory?

Accepted Answer

Write

Answer

Read

Answer

Execute

Answer

Owner

Question 4

What is the primary purpose of security logs in an operating system?

Accepted Answer

To record events and activities related to system security

Answer

To display real-time updates on system status

Answer

To store user credentials

Answer

To manage user permissions

Question 5

What does the principle of least privilege advocate for in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

Granting users only the permissions essential for their tasks

Answer

Providing users with all possible permissions

Answer

Revoking user permissions as frequently as possible

Answer

Restricting user access to specific parts of the system

Question 6

Which file system permission bit represents the owner's read permission in the typical Unix-like file system?

Accepted Answer

r

Answer

w

Answer

x

Answer

s

Question 7

What is a primary goal of mandatory access control (MAC) in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

To enforce access restrictions based on predefined policies

Answer

To allow users to grant access to other users

Answer

To provide fine-grained control over file and directory permissions

Answer

To monitor system activity for suspicious behavior

Question 8

In the context of operating system security, what is the primary responsibility of a superuser?

Accepted Answer

To possess unrestricted access to the system

Answer

To manage user accounts and permissions

Answer

To monitor system logs for security breaches

Answer

To install and configure security software

Question 9

What is the main purpose of file system permissions in an operating system?

Accepted Answer

Controlling access to files and directories based on user or group identities

Answer

Encrypting files and directories to protect their contents

Answer

Monitoring changes to files and directories for auditing

Answer

Optimizing file system performance by caching frequently accessed files

Question 10

Which of the following is not a standard user permission in Unix-based operating systems?

Accepted Answer

View

Answer

Read

Answer

Write

Answer

Execute

Question 11

What is the key objective of analyzing security logs?

Accepted Answer

To identify suspicious activities or security incidents.

Answer

To troubleshoot system errors and performance issues.

Answer

To track user activity and identify potential insider threats.

Answer

To generate reports for compliance purposes.

Question 12

What is the primary function of a file integrity monitoring (FIM) system?

Accepted Answer

To detect unauthorized changes to critical files and system configurations.

Answer

To encrypt and protect sensitive data.

Answer

To monitor network traffic and identify malicious activity.

Answer

To perform vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.

Question 13

Which of the following is a common attack vector exploited by malicious actors to target operating systems?

Accepted Answer

Buffer overflows

Answer

SQL injection

Answer

Cross-site scripting (XSS)

Answer

Man-in-the-middle attacks

Question 14

What is the primary role of a firewall in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

To monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Answer

To encrypt data sent over the network.

Answer

To detect and block malicious software.

Answer

To provide a secure connection to remote systems.

Question 15

Which of the following is not a fundamental file system permission?

Accepted Answer

Share

Answer

Read

Answer

Write

Answer

Execute

Question 16

What is the primary purpose of assigning user permissions in an operating system?

Accepted Answer

Control access to resources and data.

Answer

Enhance system performance.

Answer

Facilitate user collaboration.

Answer

Detect and prevent security breaches.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the main benefit of analyzing security logs in cybersecurity?

Accepted Answer

Provide insights for incident detection and investigation.

Answer

Automate system configuration and updates.

Answer

Enhance network connectivity and speed.

Answer

Improve user experience and satisfaction.

Question 18

What is the primary responsibility of intrusion detection systems (IDS) in operating system security?

Accepted Answer

Continuously monitor for and detect suspicious activities and potential threats.

Answer

Block unauthorized access attempts and enforce security policies.

Answer

Respond to security incidents and initiate remediation measures.

Answer

Generate security reports and provide forensic analysis.

Question 19

Which of the following is not a common type of operating system vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

Hardware failures

Answer

Buffer overflows

Answer

SQL injections

Answer

Cross-site scripting

Question 20

What is the primary purpose of security patches and updates for operating systems?

Accepted Answer

Address and fix known security vulnerabilities.

Answer

Enhance system performance and stability.

Answer

Add new features and functionalities.

Answer

Comply with industry regulations and standards.

Question 21

Which of the following is a primary security risk associated with granting excessive user permissions in an operating system environment?

Accepted Answer

Compromised confidentiality of sensitive data due to unauthorized access

Answer

Diminished system performance and stability

Answer

No significant impact on the operating system's security or functionality

Question 22

Which of the following is a commonly used file permission type?

Accepted Answer

Read-only

Answer

Copy-only

Answer

Write-once

Answer

Execute-only

Question 23

What is the primary purpose of a security log?

Accepted Answer

To record and store events related to system activity for security analysis.

Answer

To generate instructions for system updates.

Answer

To detect and prevent malware infections.

Answer

To securely store user passwords.

Question 24

What is the fundamental purpose of user permissions in an operating system?

Accepted Answer

To control and restrict access to system resources and data based on user privileges.

Answer

To promote collaboration and data sharing among users.

Answer

To enhance system performance by optimizing resource allocation.

Answer

To monitor and track user activities for auditing purposes.

Question 25

Which of the following types of system calls is commonly used for file operations?

Accepted Answer

File I/O

Answer

Video streaming

Answer

Web browsing

Answer

Email communication

Question 26

Which security mechanism is commonly used to mitigate buffer overflow attacks?

Accepted Answer

Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR)

Answer

Code signing

Answer

Intrusion detection

Answer

Heap spraying

Question 27

What is the primary function of a firewall in a network security architecture?

Accepted Answer

To filter and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on defined security rules.

Answer

To encrypt data before it is transmitted over the network.

Answer

To detect and block malware before it infects systems.

Question 28

What is the primary responsibility of an intrusion detection system (IDS)?

Accepted Answer

To monitor system activity, detect suspicious behavior, and generate alerts for further investigation.

Answer

To actively prevent attacks from occurring.

Answer

To encrypt sensitive data to prevent unauthorized access.

Answer

To provide real-time threat intelligence and updates.