CS0-003 Vulnerability Management Practice Question
This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of vulnerability management. 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 penetration testing team has completed an internal assessment and provided a report with several high-risk findings. One finding indicates that a web application is vulnerable to SQL injection. The application is used by external customers to submit orders. The development team has reviewed the finding and states that it will take three weeks to fix the code and deploy a patch. The security operations center (SOC) has observed increased scanning activity targeting the application's IP address from external sources. The company's risk tolerance for web application vulnerabilities is low. Which of the following should the analyst recommend as the immediate next step?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to block SQL injection attempts.
Deploying a WAF with rules to block SQL injection attempts is the immediate next step because it provides a virtual patch that mitigates the vulnerability while the development team works on the permanent code fix. Given the low risk tolerance and active external scanning, this reduces the attack surface without taking the application offline, which would disrupt customer order submissions.
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.
✓
Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to block SQL injection attempts.
Why this is correct
Provides immediate protection via virtual patching.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase logging and monitoring for SQL injection attempts.
Why it's wrong here
Does not prevent exploitation.
✗
Disable the web application until the patch is deployed.
Why it's wrong here
Would cause business disruption.
✗
Request the development team to expedite the patch within one week.
Why it's wrong here
May not be feasible and leaves a gap.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose to disable the application (Option C) thinking it is the safest approach, but Cisco tests the balance between security and business continuity, where a compensating control like a WAF is the preferred immediate step when a patch is not immediately available.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A WAF operates at Layer 7 (application layer) and can inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic for malicious payloads, such as SQL injection patterns like ' OR 1=1 --, using signature-based or behavioral rules. In a real-world scenario, a WAF can be deployed in front of the web server with minimal configuration changes, often using a reverse proxy or cloud-based service, to block common attack vectors while the permanent patch is developed and tested.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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 security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CS0-003 question in full detail.
Vulnerability Management — This question tests Vulnerability Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to block SQL injection attempts. — Deploying a WAF with rules to block SQL injection attempts is the immediate next step because it provides a virtual patch that mitigates the vulnerability while the development team works on the permanent code fix. Given the low risk tolerance and active external scanning, this reduces the attack surface without taking the application offline, which would disrupt customer order submissions.
What should I do if I get this CS0-003 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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