CSSLP Secure Software Supply Chain Practice Question
You notice that your build server environment pulls Docker images from a public registry with the ':latest' tag. Why is this a major supply chain security flaw?
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
✓
The tag is mutable, allowing an attacker to inject a malicious image.
The ':latest' tag is mutable; it can be overwritten by an attacker to point to a malicious image without the build system being aware of the change.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The tag prevents container layer caching.
Why it's wrong here
Caching behavior is separate from the integrity of the image itself.
- ✓
The tag is mutable, allowing an attacker to inject a malicious image.
Why this is correct
Tag immutability is essential for security.
- ✗
The registry will throttle downloads of the ':latest' tag.
Why it's wrong here
Throttling is an availability concern, not a security integrity concern.
- ✗
The tag is deprecated in favor of ':stable'.
Why it's wrong here
While deprecated, the security issue is the lack of immutability, not the tag itself.
About these practice questions
One of 198 original CSSLP practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. 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 (ISC)² exam blueprint
This CSSLP practice question is part of Courseiva's free (ISC)² 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 CSSLP exam.