- A
Disable the signature entirely.
Why wrong: Disabling may leave the network exposed to real attacks matching that signature.
- B
Increase the severity of the signature to get more attention.
Why wrong: This would worsen the false positive problem, not solve it.
- C
Create a suppression rule to ignore the specific source IP or application.
A suppression rule allows the signature to remain active but not alert on known benign traffic.
- D
Change the signature action to 'alert' instead of 'drop'.
Why wrong: This does not address the false positive rate; it just changes the action.
Question 117 of 1,000
200-201 Security Monitoring Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security monitoring. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A SOC analyst is tuning IDS signatures and notices that a particular signature triggers frequently on legitimate traffic from a specific internal application. The signature has a high false positive rate. What is the best action to take?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Create a suppression rule to ignore the specific source IP or application.
To reduce false positives without losing detection capability, the analyst should create a suppression filter that excludes the known benign IP or application from triggering the signature.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disable the signature entirely.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling may leave the network exposed to real attacks matching that signature.
- ✗
Increase the severity of the signature to get more attention.
Why it's wrong here
This would worsen the false positive problem, not solve it.
- ✓
Create a suppression rule to ignore the specific source IP or application.
Why this is correct
A suppression rule allows the signature to remain active but not alert on known benign traffic.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Change the signature action to 'alert' instead of 'drop'.
Why it's wrong here
This does not address the false positive rate; it just changes the action.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 200-201 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which 200-201 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-201 question test?
Security Monitoring — This question tests Security Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a suppression rule to ignore the specific source IP or application. — To reduce false positives without losing detection capability, the analyst should create a suppression filter that excludes the known benign IP or application from triggering the signature.
What should I do if I get this 200-201 question wrong?
Identify which 200-201 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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