200-201 Security Monitoring Practice Question
A junior analyst is asked to determine which log source would best reveal an attacker attempting to authenticate to a Windows file server with stolen credentials over the network. Which source should the analyst consult first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is choosing a log by file name familiarity instead of by the security question being asked, when only the Security log records account authentication events.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Windows Security event log entries for logon events, including the logon type and source workstation fields.
Network authentication against a Windows file server is recorded in the Security log as logon events, which include the account, logon type, and originating address. Correlating successful and failed entries reveals password spraying, credential stuffing, or lateral movement with stolen credentials, making the Security log the correct first source for this question.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Windows Security event log entries for logon events, including the logon type and source workstation fields.
Why this is correct
Security event IDs 4624 and 4625 capture successful and failed logons with fields such as Logon Type and Source Network Address, which directly expose network authentication attempts against the server. Logon Type 3 indicates a network logon such as SMB, making this the most direct evidence of credential use against the file server in the scenario.
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Application event log entries written by the installed line-of-business database engine.
Why it's wrong here
Application logs describe the internal behaviour of a specific program, such as query errors or job failures. While some applications log their own authentication, that would not represent operating-system network logons and would not show SMB or NTLM authentication to the file server. The scope is too narrow for confirming stolen domain credentials used over the network.
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Windows System event log entries generated by the Service Control Manager during service start and stop.
Why it's wrong here
System log entries from the Service Control Manager record service state changes and driver load failures, not authentication activity. They can occasionally reveal persistence through a newly installed service, but they do not contain account names, logon types, or source addresses for network authentication. Using them here would miss the credential-based access the analyst needs to confirm.
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Windows Defender operational log entries recording scheduled scan completion status.
Why it's wrong here
Defender operational logs document antivirus engine activity such as scan start, scan end, and signature updates. They contain no authentication telemetry and would not show who connected to the file server or with what logon type. Selecting this source would leave the credential-access question entirely unanswered and misdirect the investigation.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.