CAS-004 Security Operations Practice Question
A security analyst is investigating a potential advanced persistent threat (APT) that has been evading traditional detection. The analyst decides to use User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) to identify anomalous activity. Which TWO of the following activities would be most indicative of a potential compromise when analyzed through UEBA? (Choose TWO.)
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
✓
A user logging in from a remote location at 3:00 AM, which is outside their normal working hours
UEBA detects deviations from normal behavior. A user logging in at unusual hours and accessing large volumes of data are common anomalies. Running scheduled antivirus scans and normal VPN access are expected behaviors.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A service account authenticating to a database server every 5 minutes
Why it's wrong here
Service accounts often have regular authentication patterns.
- ✓
A user logging in from a remote location at 3:00 AM, which is outside their normal working hours
Why this is correct
Off-hours access is a common indicator of compromise.
- ✓
A user accessing a large number of files on a file server that they do not normally access
Why this is correct
Unusual data access patterns can indicate lateral movement or exfiltration.
- ✗
A user connecting to the corporate VPN from a hotel during a business trip
Why it's wrong here
This is expected behavior for a traveling employee.
- ✗
An administrator running a scheduled antivirus scan on a server
Why it's wrong here
This is a normal administrative activity.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-005 exam.