This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk assessment. 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:
```
Jan 15 14:23:45 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.5 port 22 ssh2
Jan 15 14:23:50 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.5 port 22 ssh2
Jan 15 14:23:55 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.5 port 22 ssh2
```
Based on the exhibit, which of the following is the MOST likely risk scenario?
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:
```
Jan 15 14:23:45 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.5 port 22 ssh2
Jan 15 14:23:50 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.5 port 22 ssh2
Jan 15 14:23:55 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 10.0.0.5 port 22 ssh2
```
A
A denial-of-service attack on the SSH service
Why wrong: Failed attempts are not DoS; DoS would overwhelm the service.
B
A brute-force attack targeting the root account
Multiple failed password attempts in quick succession suggest a brute-force attack.
C
A successful privilege escalation by an insider
Why wrong: No indication of success or insider activity.
D
A misconfigured firewall allowing unauthorized access
Why wrong: Firewall misconfiguration is not directly indicated; the attack is via SSH.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A brute-force attack targeting the root account
The exhibit shows repeated failed login attempts for the root account, which is a classic indicator of a brute-force attack. SSH logs typically record authentication failures, and a high frequency of 'Failed password for root' entries from a single source IP strongly suggests an automated password guessing attempt. This aligns with the risk scenario of a brute-force attack targeting the root account.
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.
✗
A denial-of-service attack on the SSH service
Why it's wrong here
Failed attempts are not DoS; DoS would overwhelm the service.
✓
A brute-force attack targeting the root account
Why this is correct
Multiple failed password attempts in quick succession suggest a brute-force attack.
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.
✗
A successful privilege escalation by an insider
Why it's wrong here
No indication of success or insider activity.
✗
A misconfigured firewall allowing unauthorized access
Why it's wrong here
Firewall misconfiguration is not directly indicated; the attack is via SSH.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse authentication failure logs with network-level attacks (DoS or firewall misconfiguration) or assume that any failed login implies a successful breach, when in fact the logs only show the attempt, not the outcome.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSH brute-force attacks typically use tools like Hydra or Medusa to cycle through common passwords against the root account, generating a high volume of 'Failed password' entries in /var/log/auth.log or /var/log/secure. The root account is a prime target because it has unrestricted access, and many systems disable direct root SSH login (PermitRootLogin no) as a mitigation. In real-world scenarios, attackers often combine brute-force with dictionary attacks, and fail2ban or rate-limiting can help detect and block such attempts.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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.
IT Risk Assessment — This question tests IT Risk Assessment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A brute-force attack targeting the root account — The exhibit shows repeated failed login attempts for the root account, which is a classic indicator of a brute-force attack. SSH logs typically record authentication failures, and a high frequency of 'Failed password for root' entries from a single source IP strongly suggests an automated password guessing attempt. This aligns with the risk scenario of a brute-force attack targeting the root account.
What should I do if I get this CRISC 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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This CRISC 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 CRISC exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.