hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
200-201 Practice Question: A SOC analyst is tuning an IPS rule that detects…
A SOC analyst is tuning an IPS rule that detects SQL injection attempts. The rule currently generates a high number of alerts, most of which are false positives caused by legitimate web application traffic containing SQL-like keywords. The analyst wants to reduce false positives without missing actual attacks. Which approach is most effective?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently think reducing sensitivity (Option B) is the best way to reduce false positives, but Cisco tests the understanding that whitelisting is a more precise method that preserves detection of varied attack patterns while eliminating noise from known benign traffic.
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
✓
Implement a whitelist of known good SQL queries from the application.
Implementing a whitelist of known good SQL queries from the application allows the IPS to ignore benign traffic that matches SQL-like patterns, reducing false positives while still alerting on any SQL injection attempt that deviates from the whitelist. This approach leverages application-specific knowledge to distinguish legitimate queries from malicious ones, maintaining detection coverage for actual attacks.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Implement a whitelist of known good SQL queries from the application.
Why this is correct
Whitelisting legitimate queries reduces false positives while keeping detection for other traffic.
- ✗
Reduce the rule's sensitivity to only match exact attack patterns.
Why it's wrong here
Exact matching may miss obfuscated or novel attacks.
- ✗
Disable the rule and rely on web application firewall logs.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the rule removes a layer of detection.
- ✗
Exclude all HTTP GET requests from inspection.
Why it's wrong here
GET requests can contain SQL injection payloads.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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