The answer is implementing account lockout after three failed attempts. This control directly prevents SSH brute force attacks by halting further login attempts once a threshold is exceeded, effectively stopping the attacker regardless of password strength or system patching. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of preventive controls versus detective or corrective measures—a common trap is choosing stronger passwords or disabling SSH, but account lockout is the specific, proactive barrier that blocks the brute force method itself. Remember, the key distinction is that lockout stops the attack in progress, while other options only reduce its impact or detect it after the fact. A useful memory tip: “Three strikes and you’re out” directly maps to the three-failed-attempt lockout threshold.
CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. 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.
syslog output:
Mar 15 10:23:45 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:46 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:47 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:48 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:49 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Based on the exhibit, which control is most likely missing to prevent this type of event?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Refer to the exhibit.
syslog output:
Mar 15 10:23:45 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:46 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:47 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:48 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
Mar 15 10:23:49 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.99 port 22 ssh2
A
Applying the latest security patches to the SSH service
Why wrong: Patching addresses vulnerabilities, not brute-force attacks.
B
Implementing account lockout after three failed attempts
Account lockout directly mitigates brute-force attacks by blocking further attempts.
C
Disabling direct root login via SSH
Why wrong: Even if root login is disabled, attackers could still brute-force other user accounts.
D
Enforcing strong password complexity
Why wrong: Strong passwords make brute force harder but do not prevent repeated attempts.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implementing account lockout after three failed attempts
The exhibit describes a brute-force attack against an SSH service, where an attacker repeatedly attempts to guess credentials. Implementing account lockout after three failed attempts is the most direct control to prevent this type of event, as it halts further login attempts after a threshold, stopping the attack in its tracks regardless of password strength or patching.
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.
✗
Applying the latest security patches to the SSH service
Why it's wrong here
Patching addresses vulnerabilities, not brute-force attacks.
✓
Implementing account lockout after three failed attempts
Why this is correct
Account lockout directly mitigates brute-force attacks by blocking further attempts.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disabling direct root login via SSH
Why it's wrong here
Even if root login is disabled, attackers could still brute-force other user accounts.
✗
Enforcing strong password complexity
Why it's wrong here
Strong passwords make brute force harder but do not prevent repeated attempts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose 'Disabling direct root login via SSH' (Option C) because it is a well-known security best practice, but it does not prevent brute-force attacks against other user accounts, whereas account lockout directly stops the attack mechanism.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Account lockout mechanisms typically rely on a failed attempt counter stored in memory or a database, with a configurable threshold (e.g., 3 attempts) and a lockout duration (e.g., 15 minutes). In SSH, this can be implemented via PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) using the `pam_tally2` or `pam_faillock` modules, which track failed logins per user and enforce lockout even across multiple SSH sessions. A real-world scenario is the 2013 GitHub brute-force attack, where lack of account lockout allowed attackers to eventually compromise accounts despite strong passwords.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Governance and Management of IT — This question tests Governance and Management of IT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implementing account lockout after three failed attempts — The exhibit describes a brute-force attack against an SSH service, where an attacker repeatedly attempts to guess credentials. Implementing account lockout after three failed attempts is the most direct control to prevent this type of event, as it halts further login attempts after a threshold, stopping the attack in its tracks regardless of password strength or patching.
What should I do if I get this CISA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Based on the exhibit, which control deficiency is most critical for the IS auditor to address?
hard
A.SSH is configured to allow root login
B.The admin user logged in successfully with a password
C.Public key authentication is not being used
✓ D.The system lacks a policy to lock accounts after repeated failed login attempts
Why D: Option D is the most critical deficiency because without an account lockout policy, the system is vulnerable to brute-force password guessing attacks. Even if other controls like SSH key authentication are missing, a lockout policy is a fundamental defense that directly mitigates repeated login attempts, which is a primary attack vector for gaining unauthorized access.
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Question Discussion
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