ISC2 CC Security Operations Practice Question
During an incident, an analyst needs to determine whether a compromised account was used to access a sensitive file share. The file server runs Windows and the organization uses centralized authentication. Which log source should the analyst review first to identify the account's access to the share?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming domain controller authentication logs are sufficient to prove file access, when they only show that a logon or ticket was issued, not which files were opened.
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
✓
Windows Security event logs on the file server, filtered for object access auditing events.
To establish whether a specific account accessed a sensitive file share on Windows, the file server's Security log with object access auditing enabled is the authoritative source. Event 4663 and related object access events capture the account, object path, and access type. Domain controller Kerberos events, firewall SMB logs, and antivirus logs provide authentication or network context but cannot prove file-level access by the compromised account.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Antivirus console logs showing scan results on the file server.
Why it's wrong here
Antivirus logs record malware detections, scan schedules, and quarantine actions, not user file access. They would not show which account opened a sensitive share or when. This source is relevant to malware investigation but does not answer the access question.
- ✓
Windows Security event logs on the file server, filtered for object access auditing events.
Why this is correct
When object access auditing is enabled, the file server's Security log records events such as 4663 for attempts to access an object, including the account name, object path, and access type. This directly answers whether the compromised account touched the sensitive share. It is the most specific and authoritative source for file share access on Windows.
- ✗
Domain controller Security logs filtered for Kerberos ticket-granting service events.
Why it's wrong here
Kerberos events on the domain controller show authentication and ticket issuance, which can indicate that a logon occurred, but they do not record which files or shares the account subsequently opened. They confirm identity and session establishment, not file-level access. The file server's object access auditing is required to prove share access.
- ✗
Firewall logs showing SMB traffic between the workstation and the file server.
Why it's wrong here
Firewall logs can show that SMB connections occurred between hosts, but they do not reveal the authenticated user or which files were opened. They provide network-level correlation rather than identity-level file access detail. Relying on them alone would not establish that the compromised account accessed the sensitive share.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Security Components and Controls
Key term
Organization
An Organization is a top-level container in Google Cloud that represents your company or entities and serves as the root node for all your cloud resources, policies, and access control.
Key term
Firewall
A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules to protect trusted internal networks from untrusted external networks.
About these practice questions
This CC question is part of Courseiva's 989-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. 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 September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.