The answer is an account lockout threshold, which is a preventive security control. This control is demonstrated by a login attempt counter that increments with each failed authentication, and after a specific number of failures—such as five—the account is locked for a defined period, directly mitigating brute-force password guessing attacks. On the Certified Information Systems Professional CISSP exam, this concept tests your understanding of how preventive controls differ from detective or corrective ones, often appearing in domain 1 (Security and Risk Management) or domain 5 (Identity and Access Management). A common trap is confusing the threshold with account lockout duration or password history; remember that the threshold sets the *number of failures* before lockout, not the lockout time itself. For a quick memory tip, think “five strikes and you’re out”—the threshold is the strike count, not the penalty time.
CISSP Security and Risk Management Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security and risk management. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```
Error log:
2025-03-15 14:23:45 ERROR Authentication failed for user 'admin' from IP 192.168.1.100. Reason: Invalid credentials.
2025-03-15 14:23:47 ERROR Authentication failed for user 'admin' from IP 192.168.1.100. Reason: Invalid credentials.
2025-03-15 14:23:49 ERROR Authentication failed for user 'admin' from IP 192.168.1.100. Reason: Invalid credentials.
2025-03-15 14:23:51 ERROR Account locked for user 'admin' due to multiple failed attempts.
```
Based on the exhibit, what security control is being demonstrated?
Refer to the exhibit.
```
Error log:
2025-03-15 14:23:45 ERROR Authentication failed for user 'admin' from IP 192.168.1.100. Reason: Invalid credentials.
2025-03-15 14:23:47 ERROR Authentication failed for user 'admin' from IP 192.168.1.100. Reason: Invalid credentials.
2025-03-15 14:23:49 ERROR Authentication failed for user 'admin' from IP 192.168.1.100. Reason: Invalid credentials.
2025-03-15 14:23:51 ERROR Account locked for user 'admin' due to multiple failed attempts.
```
A
Session timeout
Why wrong: Not related to failed authentication attempts.
B
CAPTCHA implementation
Why wrong: No captcha is mentioned.
C
Input validation
Why wrong: The errors are about invalid credentials, not input validation.
D
Account lockout threshold
Correct - The system locked the account after multiple failed attempts.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Account lockout threshold
The exhibit shows a login attempt counter that increments with each failed authentication, and after a specific number of failures (e.g., 5), the account is locked for a defined period. This is the classic behavior of an account lockout threshold, which is a preventive security control that mitigates brute-force password guessing attacks by temporarily disabling the account after exceeding the allowed number of failed attempts.
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.
✗
Session timeout
Why it's wrong here
Not related to failed authentication attempts.
✗
CAPTCHA implementation
Why it's wrong here
No captcha is mentioned.
✗
Input validation
Why it's wrong here
The errors are about invalid credentials, not input validation.
✓
Account lockout threshold
Why this is correct
Correct - The system locked the account after multiple failed attempts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between account lockout (which counts failed authentication attempts) and session timeout (which ends an idle session), causing candidates to confuse the two when the exhibit shows a counter of failed logins rather than a timer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Account lockout thresholds are typically configured in directory services like Active Directory via the 'Account Lockout Threshold' policy (e.g., 5 invalid logon attempts) and the 'Account Lockout Duration' (e.g., 30 minutes). The lockout counter resets after the 'Reset account lockout counter after' period (default 30 minutes in Windows). In real-world scenarios, attackers may use 'password spraying' to avoid triggering lockouts by trying a single common password across many accounts, which is why thresholds must be balanced with user experience.
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 analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CISSP question in full detail.
Security and Risk Management — This question tests Security and Risk Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Account lockout threshold — The exhibit shows a login attempt counter that increments with each failed authentication, and after a specific number of failures (e.g., 5), the account is locked for a defined period. This is the classic behavior of an account lockout threshold, which is a preventive security control that mitigates brute-force password guessing attacks by temporarily disabling the account after exceeding the allowed number of failed attempts.
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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