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SSCP Practice Question: A company experiences a security breach where an…
A company experiences a security breach where an attacker gained access to the network through a compromised vendor account. Which of the following controls would have BEST prevented this attack?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse network segmentation (VLANs) with access control, mistakenly believing that isolating vendor traffic on a separate VLAN prevents credential-based attacks, when in fact VLANs do not authenticate users or validate the legitimacy of the account being used.
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
✓
Enable multi-factor authentication for vendor accounts.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for vendor accounts is the best preventive control because it adds an additional layer of security beyond just a password. Even if the attacker compromises the vendor's credentials, MFA requires a second factor (e.g., a one-time code from a token or biometric) to authenticate, effectively blocking unauthorized access. This directly addresses the attack vector of credential theft, which was the root cause of the breach.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Install a network-based intrusion detection system.
Why it's wrong here
IDS detects but does not prevent.
- ✗
Require vendors to sign an NDA.
Why it's wrong here
NDA does not prevent unauthorized access.
- ✗
Create a separate VLAN for vendor access.
Why it's wrong here
VLAN segmentation limits lateral movement but does not prevent account compromise.
- ✓
Enable multi-factor authentication for vendor accounts.
Why this is correct
MFA makes it harder for attackers to use stolen credentials.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP 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 SSCP exam.