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CS0-003 Practice Question: A legacy system cannot be patched because the…
A legacy system cannot be patched because the vendor no longer supports the application. What should the vulnerability manager request? For stakeholder management, Which documentation or approval is required to keep the programme defensible?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that removing a system from reports or marking a vulnerability as fixed is acceptable, but the correct approach is always to formally document risk acceptance with compensating controls and a migration plan.
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
✓
Documented risk acceptance with compensating controls and a migration/remediation plan
When a legacy system cannot be patched due to vendor end-of-life, the vulnerability manager must formally document the risk acceptance, including compensating controls (e.g., network segmentation, host-based firewall rules) and a migration or remediation plan. This documentation is essential for stakeholder management to demonstrate due diligence and maintain a defensible security posture against audits or compliance reviews.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Give all users local admin rights
Why it's wrong here
Granting local administrative privileges violates the principle of least privilege and dramatically expands the system's attack surface. If an attacker exploits the unpatched legacy system, these elevated rights allow them to easily execute arbitrary code, disable security controls, and pivot laterally across the network.
- ✗
Mark the vulnerability as fixed
Why it's wrong here
Falsely marking an active vulnerability as resolved in a vulnerability management tool creates a dangerous illusion of security. This misrepresentation compromises the integrity of compliance audits and prevents security teams from tracking the actual risk posed by the unpatched legacy software.
- ✗
Remove the system from future reports
Why it's wrong here
Excluding the legacy host from vulnerability scans or reporting mechanisms results in a critical blind spot. Suppressing this visibility does not eliminate the underlying threat; instead, it guarantees that security operations center (SOC) analysts remain unaware of a highly vulnerable entry point in the enterprise environment.
- ✓
Documented risk acceptance with compensating controls and a migration/remediation plan
Why this is correct
When patching is impossible, formal risk management dictates documenting the risk with executive sign-off while implementing compensating controls, such as network segmentation or strict access control lists. Additionally, establishing a clear migration or decommissioning timeline ensures the organization has a defined exit path to eliminate the legacy liability.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Executive Security Reporting
Key term
Firewall
A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules to protect trusted internal networks from untrusted external networks.
Key term
Vulnerability
A vulnerability is a weakness in a system, network, or software that could be exploited by a threat to cause harm or unauthorized access.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CS0-004 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 CS0-004 exam.