Free Cisco 100-160 Exam Actual Questions & Explanations

Last updated on: Jun 27, 2026
Author: Lucia Rossi (Cisco Learning & Development Specialist)

The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity exam (100-160) is designed for IT support professionals who want to validate foundational cybersecurity knowledge and practical skills. This certification demonstrates your ability to support security operations, respond to incidents, and assist with endpoint protection within Cisco Certified Support Technicians roles. This page outlines the exam structure, core topics, and effective study strategies to help you prepare confidently. Whether you're new to cybersecurity support or building on existing experience, understanding the exam blueprint is your first step toward success.

100-160 Exam Syllabus & Core Topics

Use this topic map to guide your study for Cisco 100-160 (Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity) within the Cisco Certified Support Technicians path.

  • Essential Security Principles: Understand core security concepts including confidentiality, integrity, and availability. You must be able to identify security threats, explain defense-in-depth strategies, and recognize how foundational principles apply to real-world protection scenarios.
  • Basic Network Security Principles: Learn how networks are protected through firewalls, access controls, and segmentation. Candidates should grasp common network attack vectors, the role of encryption in data transit, and how to evaluate basic network security configurations.
  • Endpoint Security Principles: Master endpoint protection concepts including antivirus, anti-malware, and host-based firewalls. You will need to explain how endpoint agents detect threats, manage security policies on devices, and support users with endpoint security tools.
  • Scanning Systems, Reviewing Scan Logs, and Malware Remediation: Develop practical skills in running security scans, interpreting scan results, and identifying malware signatures in logs. Candidates must know how to recommend remediation steps, isolate infected systems, and verify successful malware removal.
  • Incident Handling: Learn the incident response lifecycle including detection, containment, eradication, and recovery. You should be able to document incidents, escalate appropriately, preserve evidence, and support the team in post-incident analysis.

Question Formats & What They Test

The 100-160 exam uses multiple question types to assess both theoretical knowledge and practical decision-making in cybersecurity support scenarios.

  • Multiple Choice: Test your understanding of security definitions, product features, and key terminology. These items verify foundational knowledge of concepts like encryption methods, threat types, and compliance requirements.
  • Scenario-Based Items: Present real-world situations where you must analyze a security problem and choose the best course of action. Examples include responding to a suspected malware infection, prioritizing security alerts, or recommending endpoint policies.
  • Simulation-Style Questions: Require you to navigate security tools, review logs, or configure basic protections in a simulated environment. These test your ability to apply knowledge in hands-on workflows.

Questions progress in difficulty and emphasize practical application, ensuring you can support security operations effectively in production environments.

Preparation Guidance

An organized study plan that maps topics to weekly milestones helps you retain information and build confidence. Start by reviewing each domain, then practice questions and scenarios to reinforce weak areas. Linking concepts across scanning, incident response, and endpoint protection deepens your understanding of how security operations work together.

  • Map Essential Security Principles, Basic Network Security Principles, Endpoint Security Principles, Scanning Systems and Malware Remediation, and Incident Handling to weekly study goals and track your progress.
  • Work through practice question sets; review explanations for every incorrect answer to identify knowledge gaps and reinforce correct reasoning.
  • Connect features and concepts across detection, containment, and recovery workflows so you understand how each topic applies in real operations.
  • Complete a timed mini-mock exam to build pacing confidence, identify remaining weak spots, and reduce test-day anxiety.

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Get the PDF & Practice Test

Strengthen your preparation with up-to-date resources from validexamdumps.com. These materials align to 100-160 and cover practical scenarios with clear explanations.

  • Q&A PDF with explanations: Topic-mapped questions that clarify why correct options are right and others aren't.
  • Practice Test: Realistic items, timed and untimed modes, progress tracking, and detailed review of every question.
  • Focused coverage: Aligned to Essential Security Principles, Basic Network Security Principles, Endpoint Security Principles, Scanning Systems and Malware Remediation, and Incident Handling so you study what matters most.
  • Regular reviews: Content refreshes that reflect syllabus and product changes.

Visit the exam page to download the PDF, Online Practice Test, or get a Bundle Discount offer for both formats: Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What topics carry the most weight on the 100-160 exam?

Incident Handling and Endpoint Security Principles typically account for a significant portion of the exam. These domains reflect real-world support priorities: responding to threats and protecting user devices. However, all five topic areas are tested, so balanced preparation across all domains is essential for success.

How do network security and endpoint security relate in a typical security operation?

Network security creates the perimeter defense (firewalls, segmentation), while endpoint security protects individual devices (antivirus, host firewalls). Together, they form a layered defense. On the exam, you'll encounter scenarios where both work together, such as detecting a compromised endpoint and then isolating it from the network to prevent lateral movement.

How important is hands-on experience with security tools for this exam?

Hands-on experience is valuable but not strictly required. The exam tests conceptual understanding and practical reasoning more than tool-specific navigation. However, familiarity with common security tools like antivirus dashboards, log review interfaces, and incident tracking systems will help you answer scenario questions with confidence and understand real workflows.

What are common mistakes that cost points on 100-160?

Many candidates underestimate the importance of incident handling procedures and skip the details of containment and evidence preservation. Others confuse similar security concepts (e.g., encryption vs. hashing) or misinterpret log entries. Careful reading of scenario questions and thorough review of explanations during practice help prevent these errors.

How should I approach the final week before the exam?

Focus on timed practice tests to build pacing and identify any remaining weak areas. Review explanations for questions you miss, even if you guessed correctly. Avoid cramming new topics; instead, reinforce concepts you've already studied and practice time management so you finish the exam with confidence.

Get All 50 Questions
Question No. 1

Your supervisor tells you that you will participate in a CVSS assessment.

What will you be doing?

Show Answer Hide Answer
Correct Answer: D

The CCST Cybersecurity Study Guide explains that CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) is a standardized method for rating the severity of software vulnerabilities. It considers exploitability, impact, and environmental factors.

'The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) provides a numerical score that reflects the severity of a vulnerability, enabling prioritization of remediation efforts.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Management, Vulnerability Scoring section, Cisco Networking Academy)


Question No. 2

You need to transfer configuration files to a router across an unsecured network.

Which protocol should you use to encrypt the files in transit?

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Correct Answer: D

The CCST Cybersecurity Study Guide highlights that SSH (Secure Shell) provides encrypted communication for secure remote access and file transfer (using SCP or SFTP) over unsecured networks. This ensures confidentiality and integrity of the files in transit.

'SSH encrypts all data exchanged between client and server, protecting credentials and file contents from interception. It is the preferred protocol for secure device management and file transfers across untrusted networks.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Basic Network Security Concepts, Secure Remote Management section, Cisco Networking Academy)

A (Telnet) transmits data in plaintext.

B (HTTP) is unencrypted web traffic.

C (TFTP) is a simple, insecure file transfer protocol without encryption.

D is correct: SSH secures configuration file transfers across insecure networks.


Question No. 3

You notice that a new CVE has been shared to an email group that you belong to.

What should you do first with the CVE?

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Correct Answer: A

The CCST Cybersecurity material describes that the first step after receiving a new CVE notification is to review its details---such as affected systems, severity, and exploitability---to determine if it is relevant to your organization.

'Upon learning of a new CVE, security teams should analyze the vulnerability description, affected products, and CVSS score to determine applicability and urgency of mitigation.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Management, Vulnerability Prioritization section, Cisco Networking Academy)

A is correct: Confirming applicability avoids unnecessary remediation for irrelevant vulnerabilities.

B is done after confirming applicability.

C (disaster recovery plan) is unrelated to immediate CVE handling.

D (adding to firewall rules) is premature without confirming impact.


Question No. 4

A remote worker is visiting a branch office to attend face-to-face meetings. The worker tries to associate their company laptop with the branch wireless access point (WAP) but is unable to do so.

What is a possible cause?

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Correct Answer: B

The CCST Cybersecurity material explains that MAC address filtering is a wireless security measure that allows only devices with approved hardware addresses to connect. If the laptop's MAC address is not on the allow list, the connection will be blocked even if the SSID is correct.

'Wireless access points can be configured with MAC address filters to limit network access to authorized devices. If a device's MAC address is not on the permitted list, the connection will fail regardless of credentials.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Basic Network Security Concepts, Wireless Security section, Cisco Networking Academy)

A is unlikely because non-broadcast SSIDs can still be manually connected to.

B is correct: MAC address filtering would block an unregistered device.

C would cause IP issues after association, not prevent initial connection.

D (open authentication) would allow connection, so it's not the cause here.


Question No. 5

Your supervisor suspects that someone is attempting to gain access to a Windows computer by guessing user account IDs and passwords. The supervisor asks you to use the Windows Event Viewer security logs to verify the attempts.

Which two audit policy events provide information to determine whether someone is using invalid credentials to attempt to log in to the computer? (Choose 2.)

Note: You will receive partial credit for each correct selection.

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Correct Answer: B, C

According to the CCST Cybersecurity course, Windows Event Viewer's Security logs record authentication-related events that can help identify password-guessing attempts (also known as brute force attacks).

'The Account logon failure event indicates that an authentication attempt has failed, which may suggest incorrect credentials were used. Multiple such events in a short time frame can indicate a brute-force attack. The Account lockout success event confirms that an account has been locked due to repeated failed logon attempts, which further supports the suspicion of password-guessing attacks.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Incident Handling, Monitoring and Analyzing Security Events section, Cisco Networking Academy)

Object access failure relates to unauthorized attempts to open or modify files, not login attempts.

Account logon failure (B) shows failed login attempts due to invalid credentials.

Account lockout success (C) confirms that repeated login failures have triggered a lockout.

Account logoff success is a normal event and does not indicate malicious activity.


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