This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of vulnerability management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 security analyst has identified a large number of false positives in a vulnerability scan report. Which of the following is the BEST way to reduce false positives in future scans?
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.
Manually verify each vulnerability before reporting
Why wrong: This is reactive, not proactive reduction.
Increase the frequency of vulnerability scans
Why wrong: More scans will not reduce false positives.
Exclude the false positives from the report
Why wrong: Excluding doesn't reduce future false positives.
Tune the vulnerability scanner's configuration
Proper tuning reduces false positives by adjusting detection parameters.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Tune the vulnerability scanner's configuration
Tuning the vulnerability scanner's configuration (option D) is the best approach because it allows the analyst to adjust scan parameters such as credential settings, plugin thresholds, and network timeouts to match the target environment. This reduces false positives by ensuring the scanner accurately identifies real vulnerabilities rather than reporting benign deviations or configuration mismatches. For example, enabling authenticated scans with valid credentials eliminates many false positives related to missing patches that are actually installed.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Manually verify each vulnerability before reporting
Why it's wrong here
This is reactive, not proactive reduction.
Increase the frequency of vulnerability scans
Why it's wrong here
More scans will not reduce false positives.
Exclude the false positives from the report
Why it's wrong here
Excluding doesn't reduce future false positives.
Tune the vulnerability scanner's configuration
Why this is correct
Proper tuning reduces false positives by adjusting detection parameters.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the misconception that manual verification or exclusion is a valid long-term fix, but the correct answer always involves adjusting the scanner's configuration to prevent false positives at the source.
Detailed technical explanation
Vulnerability scanners like Nessus or Qualys use a combination of plugin-based checks and heuristic algorithms to identify vulnerabilities. False positives often arise from misconfigured scan policies, such as using default credentials that fail to authenticate properly, or from aggressive plugin settings that flag non-exploitable conditions. Tuning involves adjusting the scan policy to match the target OS, services, and patch levels—for instance, setting the 'safe checks' option to avoid disruptive tests or enabling 'thorough tests' only on critical hosts—which directly reduces noise in the report.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Vulnerability Management — This question tests Vulnerability Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Tune the vulnerability scanner's configuration — Tuning the vulnerability scanner's configuration (option D) is the best approach because it allows the analyst to adjust scan parameters such as credential settings, plugin thresholds, and network timeouts to match the target environment. This reduces false positives by ensuring the scanner accurately identifies real vulnerabilities rather than reporting benign deviations or configuration mismatches. For example, enabling authenticated scans with valid credentials eliminates many false positives related to missing patches that are actually installed.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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