Which action helps avoid third-party malicious activity during testing?

• A. Run tests on a live production network
• B. Patch, harden, and shut off unnecessary services prior to testing
• C. Use default credentials
• D. Ignore updates

Answer: (B)

Hardening and patching before testing reduces the attack surface and minimizes the chance that a third party could exploit your activities. Patching closes known vulnerabilities, hardening removes or reduces unnecessary services and configurations, and shutting off services that aren’t needed prevents extra entry points. Together, these steps make the testing environment more secure and less inviting for third-party malicious activity, while also reducing the risk of disrupting production or exposing data.

Running tests on a live production network risks impacting users and leaking sensitive information if anything goes wrong. Using default credentials creates easily guessable access that malicious actors can exploit. Ignoring updates leaves known vulnerabilities unpatched, creating opportunities for misuse.