The answer is that the primary security concern is logs being sent in clear text to the remote syslog server. This is because the configuration relies on syslog over UDP port 514, which by default transmits all log data without encryption or authentication, allowing any attacker with network access to intercept sensitive information like failed logins or usernames. On the CISSP exam, this tests your understanding of the confidentiality principle within the Communication and Network Security domain, often appearing as a trap where candidates overlook the lack of encryption in favor of focusing on availability or integrity. A common memory tip is to remember that UDP syslog is “unprotected data in plaintext”—if you see port 514 without TLS or SSH, think “clear text leak.”
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
# Syslog configuration snippet
local7.* @10.0.0.2:514
mail.* ~/var/log/maillog
*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none /var/log/messages
A security analyst reviews the syslog configuration exhibit. What is the primary security concern with this configuration?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Refer to the exhibit.
# Syslog configuration snippet
local7.* @10.0.0.2:514
mail.* ~/var/log/maillog
*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none /var/log/messages
A
The remote syslog server is not configured to receive logs
Why wrong: Configuration is for the client, not server.
B
Logs are sent in clear text to the remote syslog server
UDP syslog is unencrypted.
C
The logging level for authentication is set to 'none'
Why wrong: authpriv.none means authpriv messages are not sent to /var/log/messages, but they may still be logged elsewhere; however, the primary security issue is cleartext transmission.
D
Local7 and mail logs are being sent to different destinations
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Logs are sent in clear text to the remote syslog server
The configuration shows syslog messages being sent to a remote server using UDP port 514 without any encryption or authentication mechanism. By default, syslog over UDP transmits all log data in clear text, meaning any attacker with network access can intercept and read sensitive information such as failed login attempts, user names, or system events. This violates the confidentiality principle and is the primary security concern because it exposes potentially sensitive audit data in transit.
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.
✗
The remote syslog server is not configured to receive logs
Why it's wrong here
Configuration is for the client, not server.
✓
Logs are sent in clear text to the remote syslog server
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The logging level for authentication is set to 'none'
Why it's wrong here
authpriv.none means authpriv messages are not sent to /var/log/messages, but they may still be logged elsewhere; however, the primary security issue is cleartext transmission.
✗
Local7 and mail logs are being sent to different destinations
Why it's wrong here
That is acceptable.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often focus on the logging levels or destinations (options C and D) as misconfigurations, but the real vulnerability is the clear-text transmission of logs over an unencrypted channel, which is a classic confidentiality risk in syslog implementations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Syslog over UDP (RFC 5424) uses port 514 and has no built-in encryption or integrity checking, making it trivially easy to sniff with tools like tcpdump or Wireshark. In contrast, syslog over TLS (RFC 5425) or using encrypted tunnels (e.g., stunnel, IPsec) ensures confidentiality and authenticity. A real-world scenario is a compliance audit (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA) where unencrypted syslog transmission of authentication logs would be a finding, as it exposes sensitive data that could be used for lateral movement or credential harvesting.
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.
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: Logs are sent in clear text to the remote syslog server — The configuration shows syslog messages being sent to a remote server using UDP port 514 without any encryption or authentication mechanism. By default, syslog over UDP transmits all log data in clear text, meaning any attacker with network access can intercept and read sensitive information such as failed login attempts, user names, or system events. This violates the confidentiality principle and is the primary security concern because it exposes potentially sensitive audit data in transit.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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