1. Right Answer: C
Explanation: Senior management represented in the security steering committee is in the best position to advocate the establishment of and continued support for an information security program. The chief operating officer (COO) will be a member of that committee. An internal auditor is a good advocate but is secondary to the influence of senior management. IT management has a lesser degree of influence and would also be part of the steering committee.
2. Right Answer: A
Explanation: Encryption of data in a virtual private network (VPN) ensures that transmitted information is not readable, even if intercepted. Firewalls and routers protect access to data resources inside the network and do not protect traffic in the public network. Biometric and two-factor authentication, by themselves, would not prevent a message from being intercepted and read.
3. Right Answer: D
Explanation: The effectiveness of virus detection software depends on virus signatures which are stored in virus definition tables. Software upgrades are related to the periodic updating of the program code, which would not be as critical. Intrusion detection and packet filtering do not focus on virus detection.
4. Right Answer: B
Explanation: Role-based access control allows users to be grouped into job-related categories, which significantly cases the required administrative overhead. Discretionary access control would require a greater degree of administrative overhead. Decentralized access control generally requires a greater number of staff to administer, while centralized access control is an incomplete answer.
5. Right Answer: C
Explanation: A mail relay should normally be placed within a demilitarized zone (DMZ) to shield the internal network. An authentication server, due to its sensitivity, should always be placed on the internal network, never on a DMZ that is subject to compromise. Both routers and firewalls may bridge a DMZ to another network, but do not technically reside within the DMZ, network segment.