The answer is preventive and detective controls. These two types of security controls form the backbone of a defense-in-depth strategy because they work in tandem: preventive controls, such as firewalls and access controls, block threats before they occur, while detective controls, like intrusion detection systems (IDS) and security information and event management (SIEM) systems, identify and alert on incidents that slip past those barriers. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this concept tests your understanding of layered security—a common trap is to confuse detective controls with corrective controls, which act after detection to restore systems. Remember that defense in depth relies on multiple control types, not just one. A useful memory tip is to think of a castle: preventive controls are the moat and walls, while detective controls are the guards patrolling the ramparts, watching for anyone who climbs over.
ISC2 CC Security Operations Practice Question
This CC practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO of the following are types of security controls used in defense in depth? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Detective controls
Detective controls are a core type of security control in a defense-in-depth strategy, designed to identify and alert on ongoing or past security incidents. Examples include intrusion detection systems (IDS) like Snort or Suricata, which analyze network traffic for malicious patterns, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems that correlate logs to detect anomalies. These controls provide visibility into the security posture, enabling timely response to threats that bypass preventive measures.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between control categories by including 'Administrative controls' as a distractor, leading candidates to confuse governance-level controls (policies, awareness training) with the operational control types (preventive, detective, corrective) that form the core of defense in depth.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Defense in depth relies on multiple layers of controls, and the classic triad includes preventive (e.g., firewalls blocking traffic), detective (e.g., IDS signatures matching exploit patterns), and corrective (e.g., automated scripts to quarantine a compromised host). Cisco's CC exam often emphasizes that detective controls are essential for identifying breaches that evade preventive layers, such as a network-based IDS detecting a SQL injection attempt that passed through a web application firewall due to a misconfigured rule. In real-world scenarios, detective controls like Sysmon logs on Windows endpoints can reveal lateral movement by an attacker, triggering a corrective response.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CC question in full detail.
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Detective controls — Detective controls are a core type of security control in a defense-in-depth strategy, designed to identify and alert on ongoing or past security incidents. Examples include intrusion detection systems (IDS) like Snort or Suricata, which analyze network traffic for malicious patterns, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems that correlate logs to detect anomalies. These controls provide visibility into the security posture, enabling timely response to threats that bypass preventive measures.
What should I do if I get this CC question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO of the following are types of security controls?
medium
A.Network
✓ B.Corrective
C.All of the above
✓ D.Preventive
E.None of the above
Why B: Preventive and corrective controls are recognized types. The other options are not standard categories or are too broad.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
Question Discussion
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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.
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