CCOA Incident Detection And Response Practice Question
You are auditing a Linux server for persistence mechanisms. Which file is commonly used by attackers to hide malicious code that executes upon every user login?
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
✓
~/.bashrc
The '.bashrc' file in a user's home directory is a standard location for executing code at login, making it a common persistence vector for attackers.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
/bin/sh
Why it's wrong here
The system shell executable.
- ✗
/var/log/syslog
Why it's wrong here
A log file, not a script execution location.
- ✗
/etc/passwd
Why it's wrong here
Contains user account information, not scripts.
- ✓
~/.bashrc
Why this is correct
A script file executed for every interactive bash session.
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.