This CISM practice question tests your understanding of incident management. 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.
```
[2025-03-10 14:32:15] CRITICAL: File integrity violation on /etc/passwd
[2025-03-10 14:32:15] File: /etc/passwd, Expected hash: a1b2c3d4e5f6, Actual hash: 9z8y7x6w5v4u
[2025-03-10 14:32:16] ALERT: Unauthorized SSH key added to /home/admin/.ssh/authorized_keys
[2025-03-10 14:32:18] ALERT: New user 'backup_agent' created with UID 0
```
Based on the exhibit, which of the following is the MOST likely attack vector?
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.
```
[2025-03-10 14:32:15] CRITICAL: File integrity violation on /etc/passwd
[2025-03-10 14:32:15] File: /etc/passwd, Expected hash: a1b2c3d4e5f6, Actual hash: 9z8y7x6w5v4u
[2025-03-10 14:32:16] ALERT: Unauthorized SSH key added to /home/admin/.ssh/authorized_keys
[2025-03-10 14:32:18] ALERT: New user 'backup_agent' created with UID 0
```
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Privilege escalation via a compromised account
The exhibit shows a user account with administrative privileges being used from an unusual geographic location at an anomalous time, followed by lateral movement to a domain controller. This pattern indicates that the initial access was gained through a compromised account, which was then leveraged for privilege escalation to move laterally and access sensitive systems. The attack vector is the misuse of valid credentials, not an injection or social engineering attack.
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.
✗
SQL injection attack
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of database compromise.
✓
Privilege escalation via a compromised account
Why this is correct
The logs show signs of root-level access.
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.
✗
Phishing email with malicious attachment
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of email-based attack.
✗
Denial of service attack
Why it's wrong here
No indication of service disruption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISACA often tests the distinction between the initial infection vector (e.g., phishing) and the attack vector used for lateral movement (e.g., compromised credentials), leading candidates to confuse the method of initial access with the method of privilege escalation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Privilege escalation via a compromised account often involves pass-the-hash or pass-the-ticket techniques, where an attacker uses NTLM hashes or Kerberos tickets extracted from a compromised host to authenticate as a privileged user without knowing the plaintext password. In Windows environments, tools like Mimikatz can extract credentials from LSASS memory, enabling lateral movement via PsExec or WMI. This attack vector is particularly dangerous because it bypasses traditional perimeter defenses and exploits trusted authentication mechanisms.
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.
Incident Management — This question tests Incident Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Privilege escalation via a compromised account — The exhibit shows a user account with administrative privileges being used from an unusual geographic location at an anomalous time, followed by lateral movement to a domain controller. This pattern indicates that the initial access was gained through a compromised account, which was then leveraged for privilege escalation to move laterally and access sensitive systems. The attack vector is the misuse of valid credentials, not an injection or social engineering attack.
What should I do if I get this CISM 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.
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Question Discussion
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