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 security analyst is prioritizing vulnerabilities for remediation. The following vulnerabilities have been identified:
Vulnerability A: CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8 (Critical), no known exploit, affects internet-facing web server. Vulnerability B: CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5 (High), exploit available, affects internal database server. Vulnerability C: CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.1 (Medium), exploit available, affects internal file server. Vulnerability D: CVSS v3.1 Base Score 4.0 (Medium), no known exploit, affects internal workstation.
Which vulnerability should be remediated FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Vulnerability D
Why wrong: Low severity and internal, lowest priority.
Vulnerability C
Why wrong: Medium severity and internal, lower priority.
Vulnerability B
Why wrong: High severity but internal, less urgent than a critical internet-facing vulnerability.
Vulnerability A
Critical severity on an internet-facing system poses the greatest risk.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Vulnerability A
Vulnerability A has a CVSS v3.1 Base Score of 9.8 (Critical) and affects an internet-facing web server, which is directly exposed to external threats. Even though no known exploit exists, the high severity and exposure mean that a zero-day or future exploit could cause severe impact, making it the highest priority for remediation according to risk-based prioritization frameworks like CVSS and NIST SP 800-40.
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.
Vulnerability D
Why it's wrong here
Low severity and internal, lowest priority.
Vulnerability C
Why it's wrong here
Medium severity and internal, lower priority.
Vulnerability B
Why it's wrong here
High severity but internal, less urgent than a critical internet-facing vulnerability.
Vulnerability A
Why this is correct
Critical severity on an internet-facing system poses the greatest risk.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that an available exploit always outweighs a higher CVSS score, but the correct prioritization must consider both severity and exposure, especially for internet-facing systems with Critical scores.
Detailed technical explanation
CVSS v3.1 Base Scores are calculated using metrics like Attack Vector (AV:N for network), Attack Complexity (AC:L for low), and Privileges Required (PR:N for none), which for Vulnerability A yields a 9.8. In real-world scenarios, internet-facing assets are prioritized because they are reachable from any external IP, and even without a known exploit, the attack surface is larger; remediation often involves patching or applying virtual patches via WAF rules. The concept of 'remediation priority' integrates both severity and environmental context, as outlined in CVSS's Environmental Metrics (modified base score) and frameworks like the Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC).
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: Vulnerability A — Vulnerability A has a CVSS v3.1 Base Score of 9.8 (Critical) and affects an internet-facing web server, which is directly exposed to external threats. Even though no known exploit exists, the high severity and exposure mean that a zero-day or future exploit could cause severe impact, making it the highest priority for remediation according to risk-based prioritization frameworks like CVSS and NIST SP 800-40.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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