CISSP Software Development Security Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of software development security. 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.
An organization is migrating from a waterfall to an Agile development methodology. Which of the following is a key security advantage of Agile?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Security issues can be addressed incrementally throughout development
In Agile development, security testing and remediation are integrated into each iteration (sprint), allowing teams to identify and fix vulnerabilities incrementally rather than waiting until the end. This continuous feedback loop reduces the risk of late-stage security surprises and aligns with the principle of 'shifting left' on security.
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.
✗
Security testing is performed only at the end of the project
Why it's wrong here
Agile encourages continuous testing, not just at the end.
✓
Security issues can be addressed incrementally throughout development
Why this is correct
Agile's short cycles allow for prompt remediation of security findings.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Security requirements are finalized upfront
Why it's wrong here
Agile embraces changing requirements; security is integrated throughout, not finalized upfront.
✗
Security documentation is minimized to reduce overhead
Why it's wrong here
Documentation may be reduced, but that is not a security advantage per se.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is conflating 'Agile' with 'no documentation' or 'no upfront planning,' when in reality Agile requires disciplined, just-in-time security activities and maintains necessary documentation for compliance and risk management.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Agile security leverages practices like security user stories, automated security regression tests in CI/CD pipelines, and threat modeling in each sprint. For example, a team might use OWASP ZAP in a Jenkins pipeline to run dynamic analysis on every build, catching SQL injection flaws early. This contrasts with waterfall's phase-gate approach where security testing is a single milestone, often leading to a 'big bang' of findings that are expensive to fix.
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 developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CISSP question in full detail.
Software Development Security — This question tests Software Development Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Security issues can be addressed incrementally throughout development — In Agile development, security testing and remediation are integrated into each iteration (sprint), allowing teams to identify and fix vulnerabilities incrementally rather than waiting until the end. This continuous feedback loop reduces the risk of late-stage security surprises and aligns with the principle of 'shifting left' on security.
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.
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 →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.