CS0-003 Vulnerability Management Practice Question
This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of vulnerability management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A vulnerability assessment identifies that an external-facing server has an outdated TLS version configured. The server supports TLS 1.0 and SSL 3.0. Which of the following is the MOST secure configuration change?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable TLS 1.2 and disable SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0
Option C is correct because it disables the insecure SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0 protocols while enabling TLS 1.2, which is currently the most widely supported secure TLS version. TLS 1.2 provides strong cipher suites and has no known practical vulnerabilities like POODLE (SSL 3.0) or BEAST (TLS 1.0). This configuration balances security with compatibility for modern clients.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Upgrade to TLS 1.3 and disable all others
Why it's wrong here
TLS 1.3 may not be supported by the server or clients; if supported, it's good but not most secure if it causes compatibility issues.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between 'disabling only the most vulnerable protocol' (Option D) versus 'disabling all insecure protocols and enabling a secure one' (Option C), trapping candidates who forget that TLS 1.0 is also considered deprecated and insecure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
TLS 1.0 and SSL 3.0 both use the older CBC mode cipher suites that are susceptible to padding oracle attacks (e.g., POODLE for SSL 3.0, Lucky13 for TLS 1.0). TLS 1.2 introduced AEAD ciphers like AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305, which provide authenticated encryption and prevent these attacks. In practice, many enterprise environments still require TLS 1.2 for backward compatibility with legacy systems (e.g., Windows 7, older Java versions), making it the recommended minimum.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CS0-003 question in full detail.
Vulnerability Management — This question tests Vulnerability Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable TLS 1.2 and disable SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0 — Option C is correct because it disables the insecure SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0 protocols while enabling TLS 1.2, which is currently the most widely supported secure TLS version. TLS 1.2 provides strong cipher suites and has no known practical vulnerabilities like POODLE (SSL 3.0) or BEAST (TLS 1.0). This configuration balances security with compatibility for modern clients.
What should I do if I get this CS0-003 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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