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CAS-004 Practice Question: Which TWO of the following are best practices for…
Which TWO of the following are best practices for securing a database server?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA CASP+ often tests the misconception that sample databases are harmless for testing, but in a production security context, any unnecessary software or data increases risk and should be removed.
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
✓
Disable default accounts
Disabling default accounts (e.g., 'sa' in SQL Server, 'root' in MySQL) is a critical hardening step because these accounts have well-known SIDs/names and are often targeted by automated attacks. Attackers can exploit default credentials to gain administrative access, so removing or renaming them reduces the attack surface.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Install sample databases for testing
Why it's wrong here
Sample databases often contain known vulnerabilities and should be removed.
- ✗
Enable remote access from any IP
Why it's wrong here
Allowing any IP increases the attack surface; restrict to trusted networks.
- ✓
Disable default accounts
Why this is correct
Default accounts (e.g., 'sa' in SQL Server) are often targeted; disabling them reduces risk.
- ✓
Use encrypted connections
Why this is correct
Encryption (e.g., TLS) protects data transmitted between the database and clients.
- ✗
Use simple passwords for ease of administration
Why it's wrong here
Simple passwords are easily guessed; use strong, complex passwords.
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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.