- A
Increase scan frequency to monitor the vulnerability
Why wrong: Monitoring alone does not mitigate the risk.
- B
Mark the vulnerability as a false positive
Why wrong: Only mark as false positive if verified non-exploitable.
- C
Immediately shut down the system
Why wrong: Shutting down may impact business operations unnecessarily.
- D
Apply compensating controls and document the risk
Compensating controls reduce risk while awaiting a permanent fix.
Question 280 of 1,000
CS0-003 Security Operations Practice Question
This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During a vulnerability scan of internal hosts, a security analyst finds a critical vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.8. The affected system is a legacy application that cannot be patched immediately. What should the analyst do next?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
✓
Apply compensating controls and document the risk
The analyst should document the finding and apply compensating controls, such as network segmentation or firewall rules, to mitigate risk until a patch can be applied.
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.
- ✗
Increase scan frequency to monitor the vulnerability
Why it's wrong here
Monitoring alone does not mitigate the risk.
- ✗
Mark the vulnerability as a false positive
Why it's wrong here
Only mark as false positive if verified non-exploitable.
- ✗
Immediately shut down the system
Why it's wrong here
Shutting down may impact business operations unnecessarily.
- ✓
Apply compensating controls and document the risk
Why this is correct
Compensating controls reduce risk while awaiting a permanent fix.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CS0-003 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Security Operations — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CS0-003 question test?
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply compensating controls and document the risk — The analyst should document the finding and apply compensating controls, such as network segmentation or firewall rules, to mitigate risk until a patch can be applied.
What should I do if I get this CS0-003 question wrong?
Identify which CS0-003 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CS0-003 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 CS0-003 exam.
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