Free ITS-110 sample questions

Correct answers: Digitally signing the firmware image with the manufacturer's private key.; Implementing a secure boot process on the PLC.

Digital signatures provide authenticity (proving the firmware came from the manufacturer) and integrity (ensuring it wasn't altered).

Secure boot ensures that the PLC will only load and execute firmware that has been cryptographically verified (e.g., by checking the digital signature), thus preventing unauthorized code from running.

Correct answer: CoAP with DTLS 1.2

Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is designed for constrained devices and networks, running over UDP. Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) provides security equivalent to TLS but is adapted for datagram-based protocols like UDP, making it ideal for low-power, lossy networks. This combination is energy-efficient and provides strong security. TLS over TCP, IPsec, and SSH are all too resource-intensive for this use case.

Correct answer: False

The statement is false. Privacy by Design is a core principle that dictates privacy should be embedded into the design and architecture of IT systems and business practices from the very beginning of the development lifecycle, not added as an afterthought. It emphasizes proactive rather than reactive measures.

Correct answer: Permanently disabling the debug interfaces in the production firmware.

The most direct and effective countermeasure against attacks via debug ports is to disable them completely in the final production version of the firmware. This is often done by blowing an eFuse on the microcontroller, making the change irreversible. While encryption is important, an attacker with debug access could potentially bypass it. Tamper-evident seals detect attacks but don't prevent them, and network access control is irrelevant to this physical attack vector.

Correct answer: Topic-based Access Control Lists (ACLs)

While TLS certificates and username/password handle authentication (who the device is), they do not control authorization (what the device is allowed to do). Topic-based Access Control Lists (ACLs) are the specific mechanism used in MQTT brokers to enforce rules about which clients can publish or subscribe to specific topic patterns. This directly addresses the principle of least privilege required by the scenario.

Correct answer: Implementing an 'event-only' recording mode that only stores clips when motion is detected.

Data minimization is the principle of collecting and retaining only the data that is strictly necessary for a specific purpose. An 'event-only' recording mode directly applies this principle by avoiding the collection of continuous, unnecessary footage and only capturing data relevant to a security event (motion). The other options either increase data collection or relate to security and transparency, not minimization.

Correct answer: SQL Injection (SQLi)

The payload `' OR '1'='1'` is a classic SQL injection technique. The attacker is attempting to manipulate the backend SQL query by appending a condition that always evaluates to true, potentially bypassing authentication or retrieving all records from a database table. XSS involves injecting client-side scripts, CSRF tricks a user into performing an unwanted action, and path traversal involves accessing files outside the intended directory.

Correct answers: Adding noise generators to the power supply line.; Using cryptographic algorithms with constant-time execution.; Implementing data masking or blinding before performing cryptographic operations.

Adding random noise makes it much harder for an attacker to isolate the small power fluctuations related to cryptographic operations.

Constant-time algorithms ensure that operations take the same amount of time and similar power regardless of the data being processed, removing data-dependent variations an attacker could exploit.

Blinding involves randomizing the input to a cryptographic function so that the power consumption patterns are decorrelated from the actual secret key or data.

Correct answer: Anti-Rollback Protection

Anti-rollback protection is a specific security feature that prevents a device from accepting and installing a firmware version that is older than the one currently installed. This is typically implemented by storing the current version number in a secure, one-way modifiable location (like an eFuse or trusted storage) and rejecting any update with a lower version number. Secure boot and code signing are related but do not inherently prevent downgrades.

Correct answer: Right to Access / Data Portability

The 'Right to Access' (also known as the 'Right of Access' or linked to 'Data Portability' in regulations like GDPR) is the specific right of individuals (data subjects) to obtain a copy of their personal data that is being processed by an organization. This allows users to understand what data is held about them and to verify its lawfulness.