SSCP Systems and Application Security Practice Question
A company is deploying a web application in a containerized environment. The security team wants to ensure that if an attacker compromises the application, they cannot escalate privileges to the host or other containers. Which of the following container security measures should be implemented?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is focusing on image security or filesystem restrictions while overlooking the runtime privileges that determine what an attacker can do after compromising the container.
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
✓
Run containers as a non-root user and drop unnecessary Linux capabilities.
The most effective runtime control to prevent privilege escalation and container escape is to run containers with least privilege: as a non-root user and with unnecessary Linux capabilities dropped. This limits the impact of a compromise. Other measures like read-only filesystems or private registries add defense in depth but do not directly address privilege escalation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Run containers as a non-root user and drop unnecessary Linux capabilities.
Why this is correct
Running as non-root and dropping capabilities follows the principle of least privilege. If the application is compromised, the attacker has limited permissions and cannot perform privileged operations like mounting filesystems or modifying kernel parameters. This significantly reduces the risk of container escape and lateral movement to the host or other containers.
- ✗
Use a read-only root filesystem for the container.
Why it's wrong here
A read-only root filesystem prevents modification of files within the container, which can hinder some attacks, but it does not prevent privilege escalation. An attacker could still exploit a vulnerable application to execute code with the container's user privileges. If the container runs as root, the attacker could still attempt to escape. Thus, it is not the most comprehensive measure.
- ✗
Enable inter-container communication on the default bridge network.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling inter-container communication actually increases risk by allowing compromised containers to communicate with others, facilitating lateral movement. Best practice is to disable inter-container communication and use custom networks with strict policies. This option is the opposite of what is needed to contain a compromise.
- ✗
Store container images in a private registry with vulnerability scanning.
Why it's wrong here
A private registry with scanning helps prevent deploying images with known vulnerabilities, which is important for supply chain security. However, it does not mitigate privilege escalation if the application is compromised at runtime. The attacker could still exploit a zero-day or misconfiguration. It is a preventive measure for image integrity, not runtime isolation.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.