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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Nmap scan report for 10.10.10.15
Host is up (0.0012s latency).
Not shown: 995 closed ports
PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
22/tcp open ssh OpenSSH 7.4 (protocol 2.0)
80/tcp open http Apache httpd 2.4.6 ((CentOS) OpenSSL/1.0.2k-fips)
443/tcp open ssl/http Apache httpd 2.4.6 ((CentOS) OpenSSL/1.0.2k-fips)
3306/tcp open mysql MySQL 5.5.62
8080/tcp open http-proxy Squid http proxy 3.5.20
Service Info: OS: Linux
Based on the exhibit, which vulnerability should the analyst prioritize for remediation?
Refer to the exhibit.
Nmap scan report for 10.10.10.15
Host is up (0.0012s latency).
Not shown: 995 closed ports
PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION
22/tcp open ssh OpenSSH 7.4 (protocol 2.0)
80/tcp open http Apache httpd 2.4.6 ((CentOS) OpenSSL/1.0.2k-fips)
443/tcp open ssl/http Apache httpd 2.4.6 ((CentOS) OpenSSL/1.0.2k-fips)
3306/tcp open mysql MySQL 5.5.62
8080/tcp open http-proxy Squid http proxy 3.5.20
Service Info: OS: Linux
A
Squid http proxy 3.5.20
Why wrong: Squid 3.5.20 may have vulnerabilities, but not as critical as the outdated MySQL.
B
OpenSSH 7.4
Why wrong: OpenSSH 7.4 is the default for CentOS 7 and not considered critical.
C
Apache httpd 2.4.6
Why wrong: Apache 2.4.6 is also standard; while it has some CVEs, they are less severe than MySQL.
D
MySQL 5.5.62
MySQL 5.5.62 is end-of-life and has multiple critical remote code execution vulnerabilities.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
MySQL 5.5.62
MySQL 5.5.62 is end-of-life (EOL) and no longer receives security patches, making it vulnerable to known exploits such as CVE-2016-6662 (privilege escalation via crafted my.cnf) and CVE-2016-6663 (privilege escalation via REPAIR TABLE). The analyst should prioritize this because the lack of vendor support means any discovered vulnerability will remain unpatched, posing a critical risk to data confidentiality and integrity.
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.
✗
Squid http proxy 3.5.20
Why it's wrong here
Squid 3.5.20 may have vulnerabilities, but not as critical as the outdated MySQL.
✗
OpenSSH 7.4
Why it's wrong here
OpenSSH 7.4 is the default for CentOS 7 and not considered critical.
✗
Apache httpd 2.4.6
Why it's wrong here
Apache 2.4.6 is also standard; while it has some CVEs, they are less severe than MySQL.
✓
MySQL 5.5.62
Why this is correct
MySQL 5.5.62 is end-of-life and has multiple critical remote code execution vulnerabilities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the concept that end-of-life software with no vendor support is a higher priority than older but still-supported versions, even if the latter have known CVEs, because unsupported software will never receive patches for future vulnerabilities.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
MySQL 5.5 reached end-of-life in December 2018, meaning Oracle no longer releases security patches for it. Attackers can exploit known vulnerabilities like CVE-2016-6662, which allows a local user to inject malicious configuration directives into my.cnf to gain root privileges, or CVE-2016-6663, which exploits a race condition in the REPAIR TABLE command to escalate privileges. In a real-world scenario, an unpatched MySQL 5.5 server could be compromised via SQL injection or local privilege escalation, leading to full database exfiltration or ransomware deployment.
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: MySQL 5.5.62 — MySQL 5.5.62 is end-of-life (EOL) and no longer receives security patches, making it vulnerable to known exploits such as CVE-2016-6662 (privilege escalation via crafted my.cnf) and CVE-2016-6663 (privilege escalation via REPAIR TABLE). The analyst should prioritize this because the lack of vendor support means any discovered vulnerability will remain unpatched, posing a critical risk to data confidentiality and integrity.
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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