CISSP Security Assessment and Testing Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security assessment and testing. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A company's security team discovers that a critical web application has a SQL injection vulnerability. However, the team is unable to remediate it immediately due to a dependency on a third-party component. Which of the following is the BEST approach to manage the risk while awaiting a patch?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Accept the risk and implement compensating controls like input validation at the network layer
Option A is correct because when a vulnerability cannot be patched immediately, compensating controls are the best risk management approach. Implementing input validation at the network layer (e.g., via a web application firewall or network-based IPS) can block SQL injection patterns before they reach the vulnerable application, reducing the likelihood of exploitation without requiring changes to the third-party component.
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.
✓
Accept the risk and implement compensating controls like input validation at the network layer
Why this is correct
Compensating controls reduce risk while awaiting a permanent fix, aligning with risk management best practices.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploy a web application firewall with a rule to block SQL injection patterns
Why it's wrong here
A WAF can be bypassed and may not cover all attack vectors.
✗
Increase logging and monitoring of the application
Why it's wrong here
Monitoring detects but does not prevent exploitation.
✗
Disable the vulnerable feature entirely
Why it's wrong here
This may disrupt business operations and is not always feasible.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between 'accepting risk' as a passive decision versus 'accepting risk with compensating controls' as an active risk management strategy, leading candidates to mistakenly choose a single technical control like a WAF (Option B) instead of the broader, more correct approach of accepting risk with compensating controls.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SQL injection exploits occur when user input is improperly concatenated into SQL queries, allowing attackers to manipulate database commands. Compensating controls like input validation at the network layer (e.g., using a WAF with OWASP ModSecurity Core Rule Set) can sanitize or reject malicious payloads such as ' OR '1'='1' or UNION SELECT statements, but they must be carefully tuned to avoid false positives. In real-world scenarios, organizations often combine WAF rules with database activity monitoring (DAM) to detect anomalous queries that bypass the WAF.
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 security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CISSP question in full detail.
Security Assessment and Testing — This question tests Security Assessment and Testing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Accept the risk and implement compensating controls like input validation at the network layer — Option A is correct because when a vulnerability cannot be patched immediately, compensating controls are the best risk management approach. Implementing input validation at the network layer (e.g., via a web application firewall or network-based IPS) can block SQL injection patterns before they reach the vulnerable application, reducing the likelihood of exploitation without requiring changes to the third-party component.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "immediately / without restart". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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