Sophos Certified Engineer Practice Exam

How should you allow a new application on a locked down server?

1. Disable the firewall temporarily

2. Add the path of the application to the server lockdown policy

3. Install the application on a different server

4. Use a generic application whitelist

The correct answer is: Add the path of the application to the server lockdown policy

The correct approach to allowing a new application on a locked down server is to add the path of the application to the server lockdown policy. This method maintains the security posture of the server while enabling the needed functionality of the newly installed application. By adding the application path to the lockdown policy, you ensure that the server only allows approved applications to run. This strict control helps to mitigate potential vulnerabilities and reduces the risk of unauthorized software executing on the server. It aligns with best security practices, which prioritize minimizing attack surfaces and only granting permissions for known, safe applications. Other options involve more risky practices, such as disabling the firewall, which compromises security and exposes the server to potential threats, or installing the application on a different server, which does not solve the problem of accessing it from the locked down server. Using a generic application whitelist can introduce more uncertainties as it may allow applications that are unmonitored or unverified, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities.