Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 67%

Which of the following is the best security reason for closing service ports that are not needed?

Rationale

To reduce a system's attack surface.

Closing unnecessary service ports minimizes the number of potential entry points for malicious actors, thereby reducing the overall attack surface of the system. This proactive measure helps ensure that only essential services are exposed, which can significantly enhance the security posture of the system.

A (To mitigate risks associated with unencrypted traffic) YOUR ANSWER

While mitigating risks from unencrypted traffic is important, closing unused service ports primarily addresses vulnerabilities associated with the ports themselves rather than the encryption of traffic. Unencrypted traffic can still occur over open ports that are necessary for service operation, making this choice less relevant to the core reason for closing ports.

B (To eliminate false positives from a vulnerability scan) YOUR ANSWER

Eliminating false positives is a benefit of closing unnecessary ports, but it is not the primary security reason for doing so. False positives in vulnerability scans can arise from various factors, and simply closing ports does not directly address the underlying issues that cause these false alerts.

C (To reduce a system's attack surface) CORRECT

This choice accurately captures the main security rationale for closing service ports. By limiting the number of open ports, the potential avenues for attack are decreased, which directly enhances the security of the system by minimizing opportunities for exploitation.

D (To improve a system's resource utilization) YOUR ANSWER

While resource utilization might improve as a side effect of closing unnecessary ports, this is not a security reason. The primary focus should be on reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing security, rather than system efficiency. Resource utilization improvements are secondary considerations that do not directly address the potential risks associated with open ports.

Conclusion

Closing unnecessary service ports is a fundamental security measure aimed at reducing a system's attack surface. By limiting exposure to only essential services, organizations can significantly decrease potential vulnerabilities that attackers might exploit. While other choices may offer ancillary benefits, the core security reason remains the effective reduction of opportunities for unauthorized access.

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