CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

What technique should the investigation team use next in the security assessment after zero flaws were found?

1. Social engineering

2. Network segmentation

3. Regular system updates

4. User training

The correct answer is: Social engineering

The chosen technique of social engineering can be valuable for a security assessment after an organization has reported zero flaws. This approach involves testing the resilience of the organization’s personnel against manipulation or deceit aimed at gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information. Since technical vulnerabilities may not be present, it is crucial to evaluate how well employees can recognize and thwart potential social engineering attempts, which often exploit human behavior rather than system weaknesses. In this context, conducting social engineering assessments can reveal insights into vulnerabilities in awareness and training among employees, thereby enhancing the overall security posture of the organization. Such evaluations can be done through phishing simulations or impersonation scenarios, which help to identify potential risks that are not evident in a review of technical controls alone. The other choices, while important to overall security practices, do not directly align with the aim of assessing human factors in security at this stage. Network segmentation focuses on isolating network segments for security and performance reasons, regular system updates prioritize patch management and vulnerability remediations, and user training enhances awareness but does not actively test against real-world social engineering tactics. Thus, opting for social engineering is a proactive step in ensuring comprehensive security assessments that cover both technical and human factors.