- (Topic 2)
Making sure that the data has not been changed unintentionally, due to an accident or malice is:
Correct Answer:
A
Integrity refers to the protection of information from unauthorized modification or deletion.
Confidentiality is incorrect. Confidentiality refers to the protection of information from unauthorized disclosure.
Availability is incorrect. Availability refers to the assurance that information and services will be available to authorized users in accordance with the service level objective.
Auditability is incorrect. Auditability refers to the ability to trace an action to the identity that performed it and identify the date and time at which it occurred.
References: CBK, pp. 5 - 6
AIO3, pp. 56 - 57
- (Topic 2)
Which of the following describes a computer processing architecture in which a language compiler or pre-processor breaks program instructions down into basic operations that can be performed by the processor at the same time?
Correct Answer:
A
Very long instruction word (VLIW) describes a computer processing architecture in which a language compiler or pre-processor breaks program instruction down into basic operations that can be performed by the processor in parallel (that is, at the same time). These operations are put into a very long instruction word which the processor can then take apart without further analysis, handing each operation to an appropriate functional unit.
The following answer are incorrect:
The term "CISC" (complex instruction set computer or computing) refers to computers designed with a full set of computer instructions that were intended to provide needed capabilities in the most efficient way. Later, it was discovered that, by reducing the full set to only the most frequently used instructions, the computer would get more work done in a shorter amount of time for most applications. Intel's Pentium microprocessors are CISC microprocessors.
The PowerPC microprocessor, used in IBM's RISC System/6000 workstation and Macintosh computers, is a RISC microprocessor. RISC takes each of the longer, more complex instructions from a CISC design and reduces it to multiple instructions that are shorter and faster to process. RISC technology has been a staple of mobile devices for decades, but it is now finally poised to take on a serious role in data center servers and server virtualization. The latest RISC processors support virtualization and will change the way computing resources scale to meet workload demands.
A superscalar CPU architecture implements a form of parallelism called instruction level parallelism within a single processor. It therefore allows faster CPU throughput than would otherwise be possible at a given clock rate. A superscalar processor executes more than one instruction during a clock cycle by simultaneously dispatching multiple instructions to redundant functional units on the processor. Each functional unit is not a separate CPU core but an execution resource within a single CPU such as an arithmetic logic unit, a bit shifter, or a multiplier.
Reference(s) Used for this question: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci214395,00.html
and
http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/CISC and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superscalar
- (Topic 2)
Which of the following computer design approaches is based on the fact that in earlier technologies, the instruction fetch was the longest part of the cycle?
Correct Answer:
C
Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) uses instructions that perform many operations per instruction. It was based on the fact that in earlier technologies, the instruction fetch was the longest part of the cycle. Therefore, by packing more operations into an instruction, the number of fetches could be reduced. Pipelining involves overlapping the steps of different instructions to increase the performance in a computer. Reduced Instruction Set Computers (RISC) involve simpler instructions that require fewer clock cycles to execute. Scalar processors are processors that execute one instruction at a time. Source: KRUTZ, Ronald L. & VINES, Russel D., The CISSP Prep Guide: Mastering the Ten Domains of Computer Security, John Wiley & Sons, 2001, Chapter 5: Security Architectures and Models (page 188).
- (Topic 5)
Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding a digital signature?
Correct Answer:
C
Source: TIPTON, Hal, (ISC)2, Introduction to the CISSP Exam presentation.
- (Topic 2)
What is called the formal acceptance of the adequacy of a system's overall security by the management?
Correct Answer:
C
Accreditation is the authorization by management to implement software or
systems in a production environment. This authorization may be either provisional or full. The following are incorrect answers:
Certification is incorrect. Certification is the process of evaluating the security stance of the software or system against a selected set of standards or policies. Certification is the technical evaluation of a product. This may precede accreditation but is not a required precursor.
Acceptance is incorrect. This term is sometimes used as the recognition that a piece of software or system has met a set of functional or service level criteria (the new payroll system has passed its acceptance test). Certification is the better tem in this context.
Evaluation is incorrect. Evaluation is certainly a part of the certification process but it is not the best answer to the question.
Reference(s) used for this question:
The Official Study Guide to the CBK from ISC2, pages 559-560
AIO3, pp. 314 - 317
AIOv4 Security Architecture and Design (pages 369 - 372) AIOv5 Security Architecture and Design (pages 370 - 372)