easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISSP Practice Question: A system administrator is configuring an LDAP…
A system administrator is configuring an LDAP directory for user authentication. The policy requires that account lockout occurs after a specified number of failed attempts. Which attribute should be configured?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse the attribute that sets the failure limit (`lockoutThreshold`) with the attribute that tracks current failures (`failedLoginAttempts`) or the attribute that sets the lockout duration (`lockoutDuration`), leading them to pick a wrong option that describes a related but distinct function.
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
✓
lockoutThreshold
The `lockoutThreshold` attribute in an LDAP directory specifies the maximum number of consecutive failed authentication attempts allowed before the account is locked. This directly satisfies the policy requirement to lock the account after a specified number of failed attempts, making it the correct attribute to configure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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failedLoginAttempts
Why it's wrong here
The `failedLoginAttempts` attribute typically serves as a dynamic counter, tracking the current number of consecutive unsuccessful authentication attempts for a specific user account. It reflects the real-time state of login failures rather than defining the maximum allowable attempts before a security action is triggered. Therefore, it is not the configuration setting used to establish the *threshold* for account lockout, but rather an indicator of current activity.
- ✓
lockoutThreshold
Why this is correct
The `lockoutThreshold` attribute is the precise configuration setting that defines the maximum number of consecutive failed authentication attempts permitted for a user account before the system automatically locks it. This attribute establishes the critical security policy that prevents brute-force attacks by specifying *how many* failures will trigger the account lockout mechanism, directly addressing the system administrator's goal.
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lockoutDuration
Why it's wrong here
The `lockoutDuration` attribute specifies the length of time, typically in minutes or seconds, that a user account will remain locked once the `lockoutThreshold` has been met. It dictates *how long* the account is inaccessible after a lockout event occurs. This setting manages the recovery period for a locked account, rather than defining the number of failed attempts that initiate the lockout itself.
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passwordLockoutTime
Why it's wrong here
The `passwordLockoutTime` attribute usually stores a timestamp indicating when a user's account was locked due to excessive failed password attempts, or it might define the duration of the lockout period. While related to account security and lockout events, it does not specify the *number* of failed login attempts that trigger the lockout. Its primary function is temporal, focusing on the timing or duration of the lockout, not the attempt count threshold.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Key term
LDAP
LDAP is a protocol used to access and manage directory information over a network, such as user accounts and permissions.
Key term
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying that someone or something is who or what it claims to be before granting access to a system or resource.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISSP 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 CISSP exam.