hardMultiple Select
CAS-004 Practice Question: Which THREE of the following are essential…
Which THREE of the following are essential components of a secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) to ensure security engineering? (Select exactly 3.)
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Dynamic application security testing (DAST) and penetration testing before release.
Option A is correct because dynamic application security testing (DAST) and penetration testing exercise the running application before release, detecting runtime vulnerabilities such as injection, authentication flaws, and misconfigurations that static analysis cannot see. Option C is correct because static application security testing (SAST) analyzes source code or binaries during development, catching insecure coding patterns like buffer overflows and hardcoded secrets early when remediation is cheapest. Option E is correct because threat modeling during the design phase systematically identifies assets, trust boundaries, data flows, and threats (e.g., via STRIDE), allowing architectural security controls to be built in before code exists. Option B does not belong because user acceptance testing validates functional business requirements, not security engineering controls. Option D does not belong because daily stand-ups are an Agile project-management ceremony with no direct security engineering function.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Dynamic application security testing (DAST) and penetration testing before release.
Why this is correct
DAST and penetration testing exercise the running application, exposing exploitable flaws in authentication, input handling and configuration before release. This satisfies the SSDLC requirement for pre-release security validation, complementing static analysis and threat modelling rather than replacing them.
- ✗
User acceptance testing (UAT) to validate business requirements.
Why it's wrong here
UAT validates that software meets business requirements and functional expectations; it does not verify security controls. Security validation requires dedicated activities such as penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. UAT would be the correct choice if the question concerned functional acceptance rather than security engineering.
- ✓
Static application security testing (SAST) in the development phase.
Why this is correct
SAST inspects source code or bytecode without executing it, catching injection flaws, hardcoded secrets and unsafe patterns during the development phase, before code reaches testing or production. This satisfies the SSDLC requirement for security engineering embedded early in the lifecycle, shifting defect remediation left where it is cheapest.
- ✗
Daily stand-up meetings for developers.
Why it's wrong here
Daily stand-ups coordinate development progress and surface blockers; they do not embed security engineering activities such as threat modelling, secure coding or security testing. Stand-ups belong to agile delivery ceremonies, and would be correct if the question asked about team communication rather than SSDLC security components.
- ✓
Threat modeling during design phase.
Why this is correct
Threat modeling systematically enumerates assets, trust boundaries, data flows and adversary goals during design, so architectural weaknesses are identified before code exists. This satisfies the SSDLC requirement for security engineering at the design phase, where flaws such as missing authentication or excessive privilege are cheapest to correct.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CAS-005 exam.