Exam CAS-004 topic 1 question 421 discussion

When a new vulnerability is announced, it is typically documented in a CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) entry. It is the most direct and effective method to determine if any Operational Technology (OT) devices in the manufacturing facility are susceptible. By meticulously comparing the organization's inventory of deployed equipment (including hardware models and software versions) against the details provided in the CVE, the security engineer can accurately identify which devices are vulnerable and require remediation. Why Not D: Option D focuses solely on software versions and might overlook hardware-specific vulnerabilities or configurations mentioned in the CVE.

The correct answer is A from my point of view. A. Utilize a passive vulnerability scanner on the network. Explanation: In an Operational Technology (OT) environment (like a manufacturing facility), safety, uptime, and stability are critical. Therefore, actively probing or scanning devices can be risky, potentially causing disruption. A passive vulnerability scanner monitors network traffic without sending packets that could interfere with sensitive OT devices. It can: Identify device types, firmware versions, and configurations by analyzing traffic. Detect known vulnerabilities by correlating observed information with vulnerability databases (e.g., CVEs). Do so without interrupting production systems, making it ideal for OT environments.

o B. Compare deployed equipment to the CVE disclosure: A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exploits) is a database that tracks publicly known security vulnerabilities. By comparing the serial numbers or model numbers of deployed OT devices to the CVE database, the engineer can determine if any of their devices are susceptible to the recently announced vulnerability. This method is efficient and accurate, as it provides a direct match between the device and the reported vulnerability.

When a vulnerability is announced, especially one that affects operational technology (OT) devices, it's crucial to determine whether any of the devices in the environment are susceptible to it. Comparing the deployed equipment (i.e., the OT devices in use) against the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) disclosure will allow the engineer to see if any of the specific devices or systems are affected by the announced vulnerability. This process typically involves reviewing the CVE details, which include information about which devices, software, or versions are impacted. This method directly links the vulnerability to the assets in the environment, making it the most targeted and efficient approach for determining susceptibility to the vulnerability.

Operational Technology (OT) environments prioritize availability, safety, and system uptime. Active scanning or intrusive methods can disrupt sensitive OT devices. A passive vulnerability scanner observes network traffic without interacting directly with devices, which makes it a safer method to identify vulnerabilities in OT environments. It detects exploitable vulnerabilities by analyzing protocol metadata, device information, and communication patterns.

When trying to assess the vulnerability of OT devices to a recently announced vulnerability, the most direct method is to compare the deployed equipment (including models, versions, and firmware) against the specific details of the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) disclosure. A CVE disclosure will typically include critical information such as the affected product versions, potential attack vectors, and available mitigation strategies. By directly matching the OT devices against this information, the security engineer can quickly identify if any devices are at risk of exploitation. NOT D. Review software inventory for vulnerable versions: While reviewing the software inventory is useful for tracking what software is running on OT devices, CVE disclosures often list specific vulnerabilities in both hardware and firmware of devices, not just software. Additionally, many OT devices use proprietary or custom software and may not be listed in a typical software inventory.

Non-intrusive: It monitors network traffic without actively probing devices, thus avoiding potential disruptions to critical OT operations. Effective: Identifies vulnerabilities by analyzing existing data flows and configurations. Recommended: Aligned with best practices for OT environments, as outlined by NIST and the SANS Institute

D - Review software inventory for vulnerable versions: This is going to tell you exactly what vulnerabilities could impact which systems. Passive Scanning isn't going to work for all OT devices mainly because they aren't always communicating and/or may not respond to scanner probes.

Passive vulnerability scanning is the best approach for detecting vulnerabilities in Operational Technology (OT) devices without disrupting their operation. OT environments are typically sensitive to disruptions, and active scanning methods can potentially interfere with the devices' functions. A passive scanner monitors the network traffic and detects vulnerabilities by analyzing the data without sending intrusive probes, ensuring the stability and safety of the OT devices.

I apologize for the oversight. Let's attempt another response. D. Review software inventory for vulnerable versions. Reviewing the software inventory for vulnerable versions can help the security engineer identify any OT devices that are running software versions known to have vulnerabilities. By checking the software versions against known vulnerability databases, the engineer can determine if any devices are susceptible to the recently announced vulnerability and take appropriate action to address the issue.