ISC Practice Question: Systems Security Implementation Verification And Validation
A security engineer is validating that an application server is not vulnerable to common web attacks. What is the first step in the validation process?
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
✓
Identify the assets and the relevant security requirements.
Inventory and understanding the threat landscape are prerequisites for any validation effort.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable all logging mechanisms.
Why it's wrong here
Logging is a control, not the initial validation step.
- ✗
Patch the operating system.
Why it's wrong here
Patching is a maintenance task, not a validation activity.
- ✓
Identify the assets and the relevant security requirements.
Why this is correct
You cannot validate security without knowing what the security objectives and requirements are.
- ✗
Run a full-scale penetration test.
Why it's wrong here
This is a later stage of validation, not the first step.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official (ISC)² exam blueprint
This ISC practice question is part of Courseiva's free (ISC)² 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 ISC exam.