easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
ISC2 CC Practice Question: A SOC analyst notices that a large volume of…
A SOC analyst notices that a large volume of outbound traffic is occurring from a single workstation to an external IP address known to be associated with a command-and-control server. What is the most likely conclusion?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between a single workstation's outbound traffic to a known malicious IP versus generic network anomalies like DoS or legitimate updates, trapping candidates who confuse high-volume traffic with beaconing or assume any outbound traffic to an external IP is benign.
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 workstation is infected with malware that is beaconing to the attacker
The large volume of outbound traffic from a single workstation to a known command-and-control (C2) server is a classic indicator of malware beaconing. Beaconing involves the infected host periodically sending small packets or HTTP/HTTPS requests to the C2 server to receive instructions or exfiltrate data, which matches the observed behavior. This is distinct from legitimate traffic patterns because the destination IP is specifically associated with malicious activity.
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 network is experiencing a denial of service attack
Why it's wrong here
DoS attacks typically involve inbound traffic, not outbound from a single host.
- ✗
The user is streaming video from a blocked site
Why it's wrong here
Streaming video would not generate traffic to a known C2 server.
- ✗
The workstation is performing a legitimate software update
Why it's wrong here
Legitimate updates typically go to known, trusted domains, not known malicious IPs.
- ✓
The workstation is infected with malware that is beaconing to the attacker
Why this is correct
C2 communication is a hallmark of malware infection.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Access Control Fundamentals
Key term
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, or HTTPS, is the secure version of HTTP that encrypts data between a web browser and a website using SSL/TLS to protect sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers.
Key term
Malware
Malware is any software intentionally designed to cause damage, disrupt operations, steal data, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems.
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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.