CCOA Incident Detection And Response Practice Question
You are managing an incident where an adversary is utilizing a 'Living off the Land' (LotL) technique. Which log source is most critical to detect this activity?
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
✓
Process creation logs (e.g., Sysmon Event ID 1)
LotL attacks use legitimate system tools like PowerShell or WMI; therefore, process execution logs with command-line arguments are essential.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Firewall denied logs
Why it's wrong here
LotL activity often mimics authorized traffic.
- ✗
Physical access logs
Why it's wrong here
This does not reveal system-level execution.
- ✗
SMTP gateway logs
Why it's wrong here
SMTP logs show email content, not process execution.
- ✓
Process creation logs (e.g., Sysmon Event ID 1)
Why this is correct
Event ID 1 records the full command line, revealing the execution of native tools.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CCOA question from scratch — 203 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or 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.