mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

CISA Practice Question: During a system deployment, the above error occurs

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

```
[ERROR] Deployment failed at step 3 of 5: Unable to connect to database 'DB_PROD'. Connection string: 'Server=prod-db.finance.contoso.com;Database=Finance;User Id=app_user;Password=*****;'
[WARN] Retry attempt 1: same error.
```

During a system deployment, the above error occurs. What is the MOST likely cause?

⚠ Common exam trap

Many exam-takers confuse a 'connection refused' error (service not running) with a 'timeout' error (firewall block), but CISA expects you to recognize that a firewall block produces no response, leading to a timeout, whereas a stopped service produces an immediate RST.

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

✓

Firewall blocking the database port

The error message (not shown but implied from context) typically indicates a network-level connectivity failure, such as 'cannot connect to server' or 'connection timed out'. A firewall blocking the database port (e.g., TCP 1433 for SQL Server, 3306 for MySQL, 1521 for Oracle) is the most likely cause because it prevents the application from establishing a TCP handshake with the database server, even if the server name, password, and database service are all correct.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
Incorrect server name in connection string
Why it's wrong here
The server name appears valid and resolves; a misconfigured network is more suspect.
✗
Invalid password
Why it's wrong here
An invalid password would typically result in an authentication error, not a connection timeout.
✗
Database service not running on the server
Why it's wrong here
If the service is not running, the error would be more specific, such as 'target machine actively refused it'.
✓
Firewall blocking the database port
Why this is correct
A firewall may be blocking the default SQL Server port (1433), preventing the connection.

Visual reference

Go deeper

CISA Practice Question: During a system deployment, the above error occurs

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Related to this question