Which of the following would most likely prevent exploitation of an end-of-life business-critical system?

Rationale

Isolation is the most effective way to reduce the risk of exploitation for an end-of-life business-critical system that must remain operational.

An end-of-life (EOL) system no longer receives security patches, updates, or vendor support, making it highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. If the system is still business-critical and cannot yet be replaced, isolating it from other networks and limiting access significantly reduces the likelihood that attackers can exploit its vulnerabilities.

A (Monitoring) YOUR ANSWER

Monitoring can help detect suspicious activity or attempted attacks, but it does not prevent exploitation. Attackers may still successfully compromise the system before administrators can respond.

B (Isolation) CORRECT

Isolation, also called network segmentation or system isolation, limits the system’s exposure to external threats by restricting network access and communication. Keeping the EOL system separated from the internet and other internal systems greatly reduces the attack surface and helps prevent exploitation.

C (Decommissioning) YOUR ANSWER

Decommissioning would permanently eliminate the security risk by removing the system from service. However, the question specifies that the system is business-critical, meaning it likely cannot be immediately retired without disrupting operations.

D (Encryption) YOUR ANSWER

Encryption protects the confidentiality of data, both at rest and in transit, but it does not prevent attackers from exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities in the operating system or applications.

Conclusion

For an end-of-life system that must continue operating, isolation is the best preventive measure because it minimizes exposure to attackers while allowing the organization to maintain critical business functions until the system can be replaced or upgraded.

Which of the following would most likely prevent exploitation of an end-of-life business-critical system?

Isolation is the most effective way to reduce the risk of exploitation for an end-of-life business-critical system that must remain operational.

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