- A
Reviewing logs only after a security incident
Why wrong: Proactive, periodic review is essential.
- B
Log retention policies that comply with legal and regulatory requirements
Correct: Retention must meet compliance needs.
- C
Storing logs in plaintext without access controls
Why wrong: Logs must be protected with access controls and encryption.
- D
Regularly scheduled review of logs for anomalies
Correct: Scheduled reviews help detect issues early.
- E
Centralized log management for aggregation and correlation
Correct: Centralization enables efficient analysis.
Question 245 of 1,000
CISSP Security Assessment and Testing Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security assessment and testing. 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 reviewing its log management practices. Which THREE of the following are key considerations for effective log review?
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
✓
Log retention policies that comply with legal and regulatory requirements
Option B is correct because log retention policies must align with legal and regulatory requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS, which mandate specific retention periods and secure storage. Without compliance-driven retention, the organization risks legal penalties and inability to produce logs for forensic investigations. Effective log management requires policies that define how long logs are kept, when they are destroyed, and how they are protected.
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.
- ✗
Reviewing logs only after a security incident
Why it's wrong here
Proactive, periodic review is essential.
- ✓
Log retention policies that comply with legal and regulatory requirements
Why this is correct
Correct: Retention must meet compliance needs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Storing logs in plaintext without access controls
Why it's wrong here
Logs must be protected with access controls and encryption.
- ✓
Regularly scheduled review of logs for anomalies
Why this is correct
Correct: Scheduled reviews help detect issues early.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Centralized log management for aggregation and correlation
Why this is correct
Correct: Centralization enables efficient analysis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think reviewing logs only after an incident is sufficient, but the CISSP emphasizes proactive, continuous monitoring as a key security control, not just reactive forensics.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Centralized log management (Option E) relies on protocols like Syslog (RFC 5424) or SIEM tools to aggregate logs from diverse sources, enabling correlation of events across network, host, and application layers. Regularly scheduled reviews (Option D) should use automated baselining and anomaly detection algorithms to identify deviations from normal behavior, such as a sudden spike in failed authentication attempts (e.g., brute-force attack). Under the hood, log integrity is often ensured via hashing or digital signatures to detect tampering, as specified in NIST SP 800-92.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Security Assessment and Testing — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISSP question test?
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: Log retention policies that comply with legal and regulatory requirements — Option B is correct because log retention policies must align with legal and regulatory requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS, which mandate specific retention periods and secure storage. Without compliance-driven retention, the organization risks legal penalties and inability to produce logs for forensic investigations. Effective log management requires policies that define how long logs are kept, when they are destroyed, and how they are protected.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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