CS0-003 Vulnerability Management Practice Question
A security analyst needs to verify that a critical patch was successfully applied to all endpoints in the organization after an emergency patch deployment. Which phase of the vulnerability lifecycle is the analyst performing?
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
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Verification
Verification ensures that remediation (patch application) was effective. It occurs after the fix is applied.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Remediation
Why it's wrong here
Remediation is the active phase of the vulnerability management lifecycle where the actual fix, such as deploying a software patch or modifying a configuration, is executed. While crucial, this step represents the implementation of the solution rather than the subsequent testing required to confirm the vulnerability has been successfully resolved.
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Prioritization
Why it's wrong here
Prioritization occurs early in the vulnerability management cycle, using metrics like CVSS scores, asset criticality, and threat intelligence to rank risks. It determines the order in which vulnerabilities should be addressed to maximize risk reduction, but it does not involve executing fixes or validating their success.
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Discovery
Why it's wrong here
Discovery is the initial phase focused on identifying active assets, open ports, and potential vulnerabilities within the environment using tools like network scanners. This phase merely highlights the existence of security gaps and does not assess whether previously deployed patches have successfully closed those gaps.
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Verification
Why this is correct
Verification is the final, critical step in the vulnerability management lifecycle where analysts perform follow-up scans or manual checks to ensure the patch was correctly installed and the vulnerability is fully mitigated. This step prevents false positives and confirms that the remediation efforts were effective in reducing the organization's attack surface.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Patch and Remediation Workflows
Key term
Security
Security in IT is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft.
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.