CISSP Security Assessment and Testing Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security assessment and testing. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 vulnerability scanner reports a medium-severity finding on a web server. After investigating, the system administrator claims the finding is a false positive because the service in question is not actually running. Which step should the security analyst take next?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Verify the service status using system commands or network scans
Option A is correct because the security analyst must independently verify the administrator's claim before taking any action. The vulnerability scanner may have detected a service on a different port or the service may be bound to a non-standard interface; using system commands (e.g., `netstat -tulpn` or `ss -tulpn`) or a targeted network scan (e.g., `nmap -sV -p <port> <target>`) provides objective evidence of whether the service is actually listening. Relying solely on the administrator's assertion without verification could lead to a missed true positive, especially if the service is hidden or misconfigured.
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.
✓
Verify the service status using system commands or network scans
Why this is correct
Independent verification is needed to confirm if the finding is truly a false positive.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Remove the finding from the report since the administrator confirmed it
Why it's wrong here
Should be verified independently.
✗
Close the finding as accepted risk
Why it's wrong here
Not appropriate without verification.
✗
Escalate the issue to management for risk acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Should first verify the finding.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume the administrator's claim is authoritative and skip verification, but the CISSP exam emphasizes that security analysts must always validate findings through independent technical means before closing or escalating.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Vulnerability scanners often use banner grabbing or service fingerprinting (e.g., via TCP SYN scans and response analysis) to identify running services. A false positive can occur if the scanner misinterprets a response from a different service or a stale connection; for example, a web server on port 8080 might respond to an HTTP probe even if the intended service is actually a proxy. The analyst should also check for services bound to 0.0.0.0 versus 127.0.0.1, as a service listening only on localhost would not be externally accessible but might still be flagged by a local scanner.
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: Verify the service status using system commands or network scans — Option A is correct because the security analyst must independently verify the administrator's claim before taking any action. The vulnerability scanner may have detected a service on a different port or the service may be bound to a non-standard interface; using system commands (e.g., `netstat -tulpn` or `ss -tulpn`) or a targeted network scan (e.g., `nmap -sV -p <port> <target>`) provides objective evidence of whether the service is actually listening. Relying solely on the administrator's assertion without verification could lead to a missed true positive, especially if the service is hidden or misconfigured.
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.
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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