hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
ISC2 CC Practice Question: A financial institution has a security operations…
A financial institution has a security operations center that monitors network traffic using a SIEM. The SIEM receives logs from all network devices, servers, and endpoints. One analyst notices an anomaly: a user account, 'jsmith', which is normally used during business hours (9 AM to 5 PM), has been logging in from a remote IP address at 2 AM every day for the past week. The logins are successful, and the user is accessing internal file shares. The user jsmith works in the accounting department and has access to sensitive financial reports. The analyst checks the user's workstation logs and finds that the workstation is powered off at the time of the remote logins. The company uses two-factor authentication, but the log entries show that only the password was used. Which of the following is the most likely explanation and the best immediate action?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between a compromised account (where credentials are stolen and used remotely) and a compromised endpoint (where malware is present), and the trap here is that candidates may assume the user's workstation is infected (Option D) because the logins are successful, but the powered-off workstation proves the attacker is authenticating directly from a different device.
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 user's credentials have been stolen and are being used by an attacker; disable the account
The anomaly—successful logins at 2 AM from a remote IP while the user's workstation is powered off and only a password (bypassing 2FA) is used—strongly indicates credential theft and account takeover. The SIEM logs show authentication without the second factor, which means the attacker either obtained the password and bypassed 2FA (e.g., through a phishing attack that captured both factors or a session cookie) or the 2FA was not enforced for this specific remote login. Disabling the account immediately stops the unauthorized access to sensitive financial shares.
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 user is working overtime from home; no action needed
Why it's wrong here
The lack of 2FA and the workstation being off indicate compromise, not overtime.
- ✗
The two-factor authentication system is malfunctioning; reconfigure the 2FA server
Why it's wrong here
The 2FA failure is a symptom; the account is compromised regardless.
- ✓
The user's credentials have been stolen and are being used by an attacker; disable the account
Why this is correct
This matches the indicators: off-hours, remote IP, no 2FA, workstation off.
- ✗
The user's workstation is infected with a remote access trojan; run antivirus
Why it's wrong here
The workstation is off, so it cannot be the source; the credentials are used from elsewhere.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Security Principles
Key term
Security operations center
A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a centralized team and facility that monitors, detects, analyzes, and responds to cybersecurity incidents across an organization's IT environment 24/7.
Key term
SIEM
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) is a system that collects and analyzes log data from across an IT environment to detect and respond to security threats in real time.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.