hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
ISC2 CC Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. [IDS Alert Log] Timestamp: 2024-03-15 10:23:45 Signature: ET POLICY Outgoing SSLv3 Handshake (Possible SSL Stripping) Source IP: 10.1.1.50 Destination IP: 203.0.113.10 Protocol: TCP Port: 443 Payload: [Hex dump of ClientHello with version 3.0]
Refer to the exhibit. An IDS generates this alert for traffic from an internal server (10.1.1.50) to an external IP on port 443. The security team investigates and finds that the server is a web application that normally uses TLS 1.2. What does this alert most likely indicate?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between a server-side misconfiguration (which would cause consistent use of SSLv3) and an active downgrade attack (which shows a change from TLS to SSLv3), tricking candidates into choosing the misconfiguration answer when the evidence points to an attack.
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
✓
An attacker is performing an SSL stripping attack, downgrading the connection to SSLv3
The alert indicates a downgrade from TLS 1.2 to SSLv3, which is the hallmark of an SSL stripping attack. In this attack, an adversary intercepts the client's TLS handshake request and forces the connection to use the weaker SSLv3 protocol, often by manipulating the ClientHello message to remove TLS options. This allows the attacker to exploit known vulnerabilities in SSLv3, such as POODLE, to decrypt or hijack the session.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
An attacker is performing an SSL stripping attack, downgrading the connection to SSLv3
Why this is correct
The alert signature suggests SSL stripping, and the use of SSLv3 is a red flag.
- ✗
The server is experiencing a buffer overflow attack
Why it's wrong here
No indication of buffer overflow in the alert.
- ✗
The server's certificate has expired and the client is falling back to SSLv3
Why it's wrong here
Certificate expiration typically causes browser warnings, not a protocol downgrade to SSLv3.
- ✗
The server has been misconfigured to use SSLv3 instead of TLS
Why it's wrong here
While possible, the alert specifically mentions 'SSL Stripping' as a signature, indicating an attack.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Security Principles
Key term
IDS
An IDS is a security system that monitors network or system traffic for suspicious activity and alerts administrators to potential threats, but does not actively block them.
Key term
Alert
An alert is a notification that something unusual or potentially harmful has happened in a computer system or network.
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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.