The scenario doesn't specify a web application. I just assumed a locally ran application so I chose A&F. Poorly worded question.

B. HTTP headers: Configuring secure HTTP headers can help protect against various web application vulnerabilities, such as cross-site scripting (XSS), clickjacking, and certain types of information leakage. C. Secure cookies: Ensuring that cookies are secure and properly configured helps prevent various attacks like session hijacking and cookie tampering.

https://checklist.gg/templates/software-hardening-checklist

A. Auto-update B. HTTP headers Auto-update ensures that software remains up-to-date with the latest security patches, addressing known vulnerabilities promptly. Configuring HTTP headers properly enhances web application security by mitigating common web-based attacks. These proactive measures can significantly reduce the attack surface and strengthen the overall security posture of the applications.

Going a bit against the grain and saying A&D. Since it asks what should be done first. Sandboxing or HTTP stuff is nice in certain cases, but if your software isn't patched then that's the number one way it will become vulnerable. Whether it's first party or third party.

AF- Auto-update ensures that all software has the latest security patches, minimizing security risks. Sandboxing is a security mechanism for separating running programs, often used to execute untested codes, preventing software vulnerabilities from spreading across the system

Auto-update is not hardening, so it's out. B & C are application hardening methods (for web apps including intranet apps - which is extremely common today) D is not hardening, per se - (one bad update can weaken a system - ask Microsoft) E & G are not application hardening, either (they protect data at rest, not really the application) F is a hardening technique for an entire system - not really just an application

sandboxing for testing new patches or updates and auto update after sandboxing result

As usual, we are stuck in uncertainty due to the poor wording of the question and are forced to make an inference. Personally, I like BC over AD. I think generally, CompTIA teaches us to be wary of auto-update policies in enterprise environments, and instead preaches the use of patch management suites. I think this can be attributed to auto-updates having the potential to cause compatibility, performance, and availability issues. I'm using similar reasoning to be wary of third-party updates -- patch management can help vet/schedule those updates so they are implemented seamlessly. Therefore, I'm more comfortable making the inference of web application security, resulting in my decision to select BC.

So with this question, all other options are things that are good security measures. A) A good Security Practice but not hardening. D) Same as A. E) a protective measure F) limits an applications “reach” so it doesn’t access other parts of the system. G) same as e. I could be wrong, but just based on the way the question was worded, and it is worded horribly, the only two that I could think would apply in this situation is B and C.

A. Auto-update D. Third-party updates I've done some research on the top system hardening actions to take first. Multiple sources are saying that these are the most important things. -- Auto OS updates -- Keep third party software on the system patched.

Since the question says "existing solutions" it makes me think this is in reference to third party software which could also be accessed via a web application. Based on the "existing solutions" I would use A.) Auto-update. F.) Sandboxing - I would consider this something I would do "FIRST" to mitigate application related vulnerabilities; especially if there is a third-party application with unpatchable vulnerabilities.

The question seems to lack any meaningful context. What type of application is it? What is the environment? Some folks here assume a web app, but I would not be so sure.

seem like all answer last 20Q before and after this Q is right, why this is wrong ?

A. Auto-update: Implementing auto-updates ensures that your applications are always running the most recent and secure versions C. Secure cookies: Many web applications use cookies to maintain session state and store user-specific information. If these cookies are compromised, it could lead to session hijacking or unauthorized access.

who has written exam

In a general context where the goal is to reduce application vulnerabilities, it’s reasonable to prioritize measures that address common software vulnerabilities and protect against potential threats. Sandboxing often takes priority because it directly mitigates application-related vulnerabilities and helps prevent malicious code or actions within an application from affecting the broader system. Full disk encryption, while important for data security, primarily addresses data-at-rest protection.While valuable, it doesn’t directly reduce application vulnerabilities So, when the goal is to reduce application vulnerabilities, prioritizing sandboxing over full disk encryption makes more sense.