CompTIA CySA+ Practice Test

What is the purpose of sandboxing in cybersecurity practices?

1. To hide critical application code from users

2. To isolate and analyze suspicious activity

3. To improve application performance

4. To prevent data loss due to attacks

The correct answer is: To isolate and analyze suspicious activity

Sandboxing is a crucial technique in cybersecurity that serves to isolate and analyze suspicious activity. When an application or file is executed in a sandbox, it operates in a controlled environment that mimics the actual environment but without giving it access to the entire system. This allows cybersecurity professionals to observe the behavior of potentially harmful software without risking damage to critical systems or data. By analyzing how the software interacts with the sandbox environment, security teams can identify malicious patterns or indicators of compromise and take appropriate actions. This method is especially useful for assessing the threat posed by malware, as it enables security teams to execute the suspicious code without exposing the actual systems to harm. The insights gained from sandboxing can inform the development of security measures and the formulation of responses to identified threats, thereby improving overall cybersecurity posture.