Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator (PCNSA)Cybersecurity FundamentalsMedium
A security audit reveals that several critical servers in an organization are running outdated operating systems with known unpatched vulnerabilities. Despite awareness, the updates have been consistently delayed due to concerns about application compatibility and downtime. This scenario primarily represents a failure in which security best practice?
- AVulnerability Management
- BData Loss Prevention (DLP)
- CSecurity Awareness Training
- DIncident Response Planning
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Vulnerability Management
Vulnerability management is the continuous process of identifying, assessing, and remediating security vulnerabilities in systems and software. The scenario explicitly describes a failure to remediate known vulnerabilities due to operational concerns, which is a breakdown in the vulnerability management process.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) focuses on preventing sensitive data from leaving the organization, unrelated to patching operating systems.
- C. Security awareness training educates users about threats, but doesn't directly address patching server OS vulnerabilities.
- D. Incident response planning deals with how to react AFTER a security incident, not preventing it by patching.
Vulnerability Management
The cyclical practice of identifying, classifying, remediating, and mitigating vulnerabilities in systems and applications.
- Continuous process.
- Involves scanning, assessment, and patching.
- Reduces attack surface and risk.
Memory trick: Best practices keep us safe: Patching for vulnerabilities, training for people, DLP for data, IR for after.