Question 1

What is a firewall used for?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Speeding up internet, B) Monitoring and controlling incoming/outgoing network traffic, C) Storing passwords, D) Running applications. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Hard Knockout'.

Question 2

What does phishing mean?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) A fishing game, B) A social engineering attack to trick users into revealing sensitive info, C) A type of malware, D) A network attack. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 3

What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) A double password, B) A second layer of identity verification beyond a password, C) An encryption method, D) A firewall type. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 4

What is a zero-day vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) A new software feature, B) An unknown flaw exploited before developers can patch it, C) A type of encryption, D) A network protocol. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 5

What does SIEM stand for?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Security Incident Error Manager, B) Security Information and Event Management, C) System Integration Event Monitor, D) None of the above. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout for SOC roles'.

Question 6

What is the purpose of penetration testing?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Writing security policies, B) Simulating attacks to find vulnerabilities before attackers do, C) Monitoring network traffic, D) Managing user access. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout for pen test roles'.

Question 7

What is encryption?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Deleting sensitive data, B) Converting data into an unreadable format to protect it, C) Backing up data, D) Monitoring logs. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 8

What does OWASP Top 10 refer to?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) A list of top developers, B) A list of the most critical web application security risks, C) A compliance framework, D) A firewall standard. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout for AppSec roles'.

Question 9

What is a DDoS attack?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) A phishing attack, B) Overwhelming a server with traffic to make it unavailable, C) A password attack, D) A malware infection. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 10

What is the principle of least privilege?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Giving all users admin access, B) Giving users only the minimum access they need to do their job, C) A password policy, D) A firewall rule. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 11

What is an intrusion detection system (IDS)?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) A firewall, B) A system that monitors network traffic for suspicious activity, C) A VPN tool, D) An encryption tool. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Red flag'.

Question 12

What is social engineering in cybersecurity?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Building software, B) Manipulating people into revealing confidential information, C) A network attack, D) A type of malware. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 13

What does SOC stand for?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Software Operations Center, B) Security Operations Center, C) System Optimization Center, D) None of the above. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Red flag for SOC roles'.

Question 14

What is ransomware?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) An antivirus tool, B) Malware that encrypts files and demands payment for decryption, C) A phishing email, D) A network scanner. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 15

What is the purpose of a VPN?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Speeding up internet, B) Encrypting internet traffic and masking the user's IP address, C) Scanning for malware, D) Managing user accounts. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Red flag'.

Question 16

What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Using multiple passwords, B) Using multiple verification methods to confirm a user's identity, C) A firewall setting, D) An encryption type. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout'.

Question 17

What does CVE stand for?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Common Vulnerability Exposure, B) Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, C) Cybersecurity Verified Entry, D) None of the above. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Red flag'.

Question 18

What is the difference between IDS and IPS?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) No difference, B) IDS detects threats; IPS detects and actively blocks them, C) IPS only monitors, D) IDS blocks threats. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Red flag'.

Question 19

What is a security audit?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) A software test, B) A systematic review of an organization's security policies and controls, C) A phishing simulation, D) A network scan. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Knockout for compliance roles'.

Question 20

What is threat intelligence?

Accepted Answer

This is an MCQ screening question. The options are A) Writing security code, B) Collecting and analyzing information about current and emerging threats, C) A firewall feature, D) A backup strategy. The correct answer is B. The suggested knockout rule is: 'Wrong = Red flag'.

MCQ Screening Questions for a Cybersecurity Analyst

20 Knockout Questions for Cybersecurity Analysts

Automate Your Cybersecurity Screening

#	Question	A	B	C	D	Answer	Knockout Rule
1	What is a firewall used for?	Speeding up internet	Monitoring and controlling incoming/outgoing network traffic	Storing passwords	Running applications	B	Wrong = Hard Knockout
2	What does phishing mean?	A fishing game	A social engineering attack to trick users into revealing sensitive info	A type of malware	A network attack	B	Wrong = Knockout
3	What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?	A double password	A second layer of identity verification beyond a password	An encryption method	A firewall type	B	Wrong = Knockout
4	What is a zero-day vulnerability?	A new software feature	An unknown flaw exploited before developers can patch it	A type of encryption	A network protocol	B	Wrong = Knockout
5	What does SIEM stand for?	Security Incident Error Manager	Security Information and Event Management	System Integration Event Monitor	None of the above	B	Wrong = Knockout for SOC roles
6	What is the purpose of penetration testing?	Writing security policies	Simulating attacks to find vulnerabilities before attackers do	Monitoring network traffic	Managing user access	B	Wrong = Knockout for pen test roles
7	What is encryption?	Deleting sensitive data	Converting data into an unreadable format to protect it	Backing up data	Monitoring logs	B	Wrong = Knockout
8	What does OWASP Top 10 refer to?	A list of top developers	A list of the most critical web application security risks	A compliance framework	A firewall standard	B	Wrong = Knockout for AppSec roles
9	What is a DDoS attack?	A phishing attack	Overwhelming a server with traffic to make it unavailable	A password attack	A malware infection	B	Wrong = Knockout
10	What is the principle of least privilege?	Giving all users admin access	Giving users only the minimum access they need to do their job	A password policy	A firewall rule	B	Wrong = Knockout
11	What is an intrusion detection system (IDS)?	A firewall	A system that monitors network traffic for suspicious activity	A VPN tool	An encryption tool	B	Wrong = Red flag
12	What is social engineering in cybersecurity?	Building software	Manipulating people into revealing confidential information	A network attack	A type of malware	B	Wrong = Knockout
13	What does SOC stand for?	Software Operations Center	Security Operations Center	System Optimization Center	None of the above	B	Wrong = Red flag for SOC roles
14	What is ransomware?	An antivirus tool	Malware that encrypts files and demands payment for decryption	A phishing email	A network scanner	B	Wrong = Knockout
15	What is the purpose of a VPN?	Speeding up internet	Encrypting internet traffic and masking the user's IP address	Scanning for malware	Managing user accounts	B	Wrong = Red flag
16	What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?	Using multiple passwords	Using multiple verification methods to confirm a user's identity	A firewall setting	An encryption type	B	Wrong = Knockout
17	What does CVE stand for?	Common Vulnerability Exposure	Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures	Cybersecurity Verified Entry	None of the above	B	Wrong = Red flag
18	What is the difference between IDS and IPS?	No difference	IDS detects threats; IPS detects and actively blocks them	IPS only monitors	IDS blocks threats	B	Wrong = Red flag
19	What is a security audit?	A software test	A systematic review of an organization's security policies and controls	A phishing simulation	A network scan	B	Wrong = Knockout for compliance roles
20	What is threat intelligence?	Writing security code	Collecting and analyzing information about current and emerging threats	A firewall feature	A backup strategy	B	Wrong = Red flag