WGU D430 Fundamentals of Information Security
Exam 2026| Actual Exam Questions and Correct
Answers and Explanations
Which well-known tool is a scanner with a large and broad set of functionality?
A Hping3
B NetStumbler
C Metasploit
D Stuxnet
E Nmap
Correct Answer: E Nmap
Explanation: Nmap is versatile for network scanning and OS fingerprinting.
A new start-up company has started working on a social networking website. The
company has moved all its source code to a cloud provider and wants to protect
this source code from unauthorized access. Which cyber defense concept should
the start-up company use to maintain the confidentiality of its source code?
A Alarm systems
B Account permissions
C Antivirus software
D File encryption
Correct Answer: D File encryption
Explanation: File encryption protects data at rest by encoding it, ensuring that
even if unauthorized access occurs, the source code remains unreadable without
the decryption key, directly upholding confidentiality.
,A company has an annual audit of installed software and data storage systems.
During the audit, the auditor asks how the company's most critical data is used.
This determination helps the auditor ensure that the proper defense mechanisms are
in place to protect critical data. Which cybersecurity term is defined as the
potential for an attack on a resource?
A Impact
B Vulnerability
C Risk
D Threat
Correct Answer: D Threat
Explanation: A threat is any potential danger or actor that could exploit a
vulnerability to cause harm to a resource, such as critical data. This differs from
risk (threat + vulnerability + impact), vulnerability (weakness), or impact
(consequence).
Which security type deliberately exposes a system's vulnerabilities or resources to
an attacker?
A Intrusion detection
B Firewalls
C Honeypots
D Intrusion prevention
Correct Answer: C Honeypots
Explanation: Honeypots are decoy systems designed to attract and trap attackers,
allowing organizations to study attack methods and divert threats from real assets.
,Which tool can be used to map devices on a network, along with their operating
system types and versions?
A Packet sniffer
B Packet filter
C Port scanner
D Stateful firewall
Correct Answer: C Port scanner
Explanation: Port scanners like Nmap probe networks to identify active devices,
open ports, and often fingerprint OS types and versions through response analysis.
Which web attack is a server-side attack?
A Clickjacking
B Cross-site scripting
C SQL injection
D Cross-site request forgery
Correct Answer: C SQL injection
Explanation: SQL injection targets server-side databases by injecting malicious
SQL code into input fields, exploiting poor validation to manipulate or extract data.
An organization employs a VPN to safeguard its information. Which security
principle is protected by a VPN?
A Data in motion
B Data at rest
C Data in use
D Data in storage
, Correct Answer: A Data in motion
Explanation: VPNs encrypt data transmitted over networks (data in motion),
protecting it from interception and ensuring confidentiality and integrity during
transit.
A malicious hacker was successful in a denial of service (DoS) attack against an
institution's mail server. Fortunately, no data was lost or altered while the server
was offline. Which type of attack is this?
A Modification
B Fabrication
C Interception
D Interruption
Correct Answer: D Interruption
Explanation: A DoS attack interrupts service availability without modifying or
intercepting data, aligning with the interruption category in the STRIDE model.
A company has had several successful denial of service (DoS) attacks on its email
server. Which principle of the Parkerian hexad is the auditor addressing?
A Possession
B Integrity
C Authenticity
D Utility
Correct Answer: D Utility
Explanation: Utility in the Parkerian hexad refers to the usefulness of data or
systems; DoS attacks render the email server unusable, even if other principles like
integrity remain intact.
Exam 2026| Actual Exam Questions and Correct
Answers and Explanations
Which well-known tool is a scanner with a large and broad set of functionality?
A Hping3
B NetStumbler
C Metasploit
D Stuxnet
E Nmap
Correct Answer: E Nmap
Explanation: Nmap is versatile for network scanning and OS fingerprinting.
A new start-up company has started working on a social networking website. The
company has moved all its source code to a cloud provider and wants to protect
this source code from unauthorized access. Which cyber defense concept should
the start-up company use to maintain the confidentiality of its source code?
A Alarm systems
B Account permissions
C Antivirus software
D File encryption
Correct Answer: D File encryption
Explanation: File encryption protects data at rest by encoding it, ensuring that
even if unauthorized access occurs, the source code remains unreadable without
the decryption key, directly upholding confidentiality.
,A company has an annual audit of installed software and data storage systems.
During the audit, the auditor asks how the company's most critical data is used.
This determination helps the auditor ensure that the proper defense mechanisms are
in place to protect critical data. Which cybersecurity term is defined as the
potential for an attack on a resource?
A Impact
B Vulnerability
C Risk
D Threat
Correct Answer: D Threat
Explanation: A threat is any potential danger or actor that could exploit a
vulnerability to cause harm to a resource, such as critical data. This differs from
risk (threat + vulnerability + impact), vulnerability (weakness), or impact
(consequence).
Which security type deliberately exposes a system's vulnerabilities or resources to
an attacker?
A Intrusion detection
B Firewalls
C Honeypots
D Intrusion prevention
Correct Answer: C Honeypots
Explanation: Honeypots are decoy systems designed to attract and trap attackers,
allowing organizations to study attack methods and divert threats from real assets.
,Which tool can be used to map devices on a network, along with their operating
system types and versions?
A Packet sniffer
B Packet filter
C Port scanner
D Stateful firewall
Correct Answer: C Port scanner
Explanation: Port scanners like Nmap probe networks to identify active devices,
open ports, and often fingerprint OS types and versions through response analysis.
Which web attack is a server-side attack?
A Clickjacking
B Cross-site scripting
C SQL injection
D Cross-site request forgery
Correct Answer: C SQL injection
Explanation: SQL injection targets server-side databases by injecting malicious
SQL code into input fields, exploiting poor validation to manipulate or extract data.
An organization employs a VPN to safeguard its information. Which security
principle is protected by a VPN?
A Data in motion
B Data at rest
C Data in use
D Data in storage
, Correct Answer: A Data in motion
Explanation: VPNs encrypt data transmitted over networks (data in motion),
protecting it from interception and ensuring confidentiality and integrity during
transit.
A malicious hacker was successful in a denial of service (DoS) attack against an
institution's mail server. Fortunately, no data was lost or altered while the server
was offline. Which type of attack is this?
A Modification
B Fabrication
C Interception
D Interruption
Correct Answer: D Interruption
Explanation: A DoS attack interrupts service availability without modifying or
intercepting data, aligning with the interruption category in the STRIDE model.
A company has had several successful denial of service (DoS) attacks on its email
server. Which principle of the Parkerian hexad is the auditor addressing?
A Possession
B Integrity
C Authenticity
D Utility
Correct Answer: D Utility
Explanation: Utility in the Parkerian hexad refers to the usefulness of data or
systems; DoS attacks render the email server unusable, even if other principles like
integrity remain intact.
