Free Cisco 100-160 Exam Actual Questions & Explanations

Last updated on: Aug 7, 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

What is the primary purpose of running a vulnerability scan on your network?

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Correct Answer: C

The CCST Cybersecurity Study Guide states that vulnerability scanning is an automated process used to identify known security weaknesses in systems, software, and network devices. These scans compare system configurations and software versions against databases of known vulnerabilities, such as the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) list.

'A vulnerability scan is an automated test that checks systems and networks for known weaknesses by matching them against a database of vulnerabilities such as CVEs. This allows administrators to identify exploitable conditions before they are leveraged by attackers.'

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

A is asset discovery, not vulnerability scanning.

B may be part of remediation planning but is not the primary purpose.

C is correct: Scans detect if systems have vulnerabilities associated with CVEs.

D describes SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) log correlation, not vulnerability scanning.


Question No. 2

The company web server collects information through a form. The form is accessed by using port 80. The form content is transferred to an encrypted database for storage. You are investigating a complaint that the form content has been compromised.

What is the cause of the security breach?

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Correct Answer: C

The CCST Cybersecurity Study Guide explains that HTTP (port 80) transmits data in cleartext, making it susceptible to interception. Even if data is stored securely in an encrypted database, sensitive information can be compromised during transmission if HTTPS (port 443) is not used.

'When HTTP is used instead of HTTPS, all form inputs and transmitted data are sent in plaintext over the network, where they can be intercepted by attackers.'

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


Question No. 3

Your company is creating a BYOD policy to allow employees to join their personal smartphones to the company network.

Which three requirements are commonly included in a BYOD policy? (Choose 3.)

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Correct Answer: C, D, F

The CCST Cybersecurity Study Guide explains that a BYOD policy (Bring Your Own Device) should outline security requirements for personally owned devices connecting to the corporate network. Common requirements include:

Device encryption for stored sensitive corporate data.

Strong password or PIN configuration for device access.

Restriction to secure and approved applications to reduce malware risk.

'BYOD policies typically mandate strong authentication, encryption of sensitive corporate data on personal devices, and installation of secure or approved applications. The goal is to protect corporate information while respecting personal ownership of the device.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Endpoint Security Concepts, BYOD Security section, Cisco Networking Academy)

A is incorrect: BYOD policies do not require deletion of personal data unless wiping after separation.

B is not a common requirement due to privacy and technical limitations.

E (upgrading data plans) is unrelated to security.


Question No. 4

What should you create to prevent spoofing of the internal network?

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Correct Answer: B

The CCST Cybersecurity Study Guide states that Access Control Lists (ACLs) can be used to filter traffic based on IP addresses and block packets that appear to originate from the internal network but arrive from external interfaces (IP spoofing).

'ACLs can prevent spoofing by dropping traffic from external sources that claim to have an internal source address. Configuring ACLs on the perimeter firewall or router is a common countermeasure for IP spoofing.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Basic Network Security Concepts, ACLs and Traffic Filtering section, Cisco Networking Academy)

A (NAT rule) changes IP addresses but does not inherently prevent spoofing.

B (ACL) is correct because it can enforce anti-spoofing filters.

C (host file) only affects name resolution locally.

D (DNS record) is for domain mapping, not spoofing prevention.


Question No. 5

How do threat actors launch ransomware attacks on organizations?

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Correct Answer: C

The CCST Cybersecurity course describes ransomware as a form of malicious software that encrypts or locks access to an organization's data, demanding payment for its release.

'Ransomware is a type of malware that denies access to data by encrypting it and demands payment from the victim to restore access. Threat actors may deliver ransomware through phishing emails, malicious downloads, or exploiting vulnerabilities in exposed systems.'

(CCST Cybersecurity, Essential Security Principles, Malware Types and Threats section, Cisco Networking Academy)

A describes spyware or information-stealing malware.

B is website defacement, which is vandalism, not ransomware.

C is correct: locking/encrypting data and demanding payment is the defining behavior of ransomware.

D is more aligned with insider threat or espionage activities.


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