A company has a data retention policy that requires all security logs to be retained for 90 days. A security incident occurred 60 days ago, but when the incident response team tries to retrieve logs from that period, they find that the logs have been overwritten due to insufficient storage capacity. Which security principle has been most directly compromised?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Best answer
Availability
Availability means data is accessible when required. The logs were not available for the incident investigation because they had been overwritten, violating availability.
Distractor review
Integrity
Integrity ensures data has not been tampered with. While overwriting logs could be seen as data loss, integrity typically refers to unauthorized modification. In this case, the logs were legitimately overwritten due to policy, not tampered with.
Distractor review
Confidentiality
Confidentiality protects data from unauthorized disclosure. No unauthorized access occurred; the logs were simply not retained.
Distractor review
Non-repudiation
Non-repudiation prevents individuals from denying actions. The lack of logs hinders non-repudiation, but the root cause is that the logs were unavailable, making availability the more direct violation.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A change advisory board (CAB) approved a standard change to update antivirus definitions on all servers. The technician completes the update on a file server and verifies the server is functioning normally. According to change management best practices, what documentation should the technician complete?
Question 2
A company's change management policy requires all server changes to be approved by the Change Advisory Board (CAB). A technician discovers that a critical database server's operating system needs a security patch to comply with a new regulatory requirement that takes effect in one week. The patch has a known risk of causing service downtime. The next scheduled CAB meeting is in two weeks. What should the technician do FIRST?
Question 3
A company is implementing a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy and needs to ensure that corporate data on employee mobile devices is protected. Which of the following is the MOST important technical control to implement?
Question 4
A company requires employees to present both a smart card and a PIN to log into their workstations. Which authentication principle is being implemented?
Question 5
A company requires all Windows 10 workstations to be able to join an Active Directory domain. Which edition of Windows 10 must be installed on these workstations?
Question 6
A company wants to allow employees to securely access internal resources from home via the internet. Which method provides the highest level of security for remote desktop connections?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1102 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Availability — Availability ensures that data and systems are accessible when needed. Because the logs were overwritten and could not be retrieved for the investigation, the availability of the log data was compromised. Integrity was not directly affected (the logs were not altered), confidentiality was not breached (no unauthorized access), and non-repudiation relies on integrity and availability but the primary failure is availability.
What should I do if I get this 220-1102 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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