CompTIA CySA+ Practice Test

What logical control is best for ensuring a vulnerability scanner is regularly updated with the latest signatures?

1. Manually validate updates

2. Create a script to automate updates

3. Run the scanner in credentialed mode

4. Test scanner updates in a sandbox environment

The correct answer is: Create a script to automate updates

Creating a script to automate updates is the most effective logical control for ensuring that a vulnerability scanner is regularly updated with the latest signatures. Automation eliminates human error and oversight, allowing for timely and consistent updates necessary to maintain the scanner's effectiveness in identifying vulnerabilities. By implementing a script, organizations can streamline the update process, ensuring that updates are not missed and that the scanner always has the latest signatures to identify the latest threats. Other methods, such as manually validating updates, can introduce delays and potential lapses in updates due to human dependency. Testing scanner updates in a sandbox environment, while a sound practice for ensuring stability and functionality, does not directly ensure that the scanner itself is regularly updated. Running the scanner in credentialed mode can improve its performance and the depth of scanning, but it does not address the frequency or reliability of updates. Automation through scripting is the best solution for ensuring that vulnerability scanners remain current and effective against emerging threats.