CCOA Technology Essentials Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are common indicators of a compromised system found during host-based log analysis?
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
✓
Unexpected outbound connections to high-numbered ports
Unexpected outbound connections and the creation of new administrative accounts are classic signs of a breach.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Stable CPU usage patterns
Why it's wrong here
Stable performance is generally a healthy sign.
- ✓
Unexpected outbound connections to high-numbered ports
Why this is correct
This often signals C2 activity.
- ✗
Standard system update logs
Why it's wrong here
System updates are normal and expected behavior.
- ✓
Creation of new accounts with administrative rights
Why this is correct
Attackers create persistent backdoors via new accounts.
- ✗
Successful logins from standard user accounts
Why it's wrong here
Normal user activity is not an indicator of compromise.
About these practice questions
This CCOA question is part of Courseiva's 203-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
This CCOA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CCOA exam.