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SSCP A company uses a SIEM to detect anomalies Practice Question
A company uses a SIEM to detect anomalies. An alert indicates a user logged in from two geographically distant locations within 5 minutes. What is the most likely indication?
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
✓
Credential theft and reuse
A scenario where a user logs in from two geographically distant locations within a short time frame is a classic indicator of credential theft and reuse. An attacker likely obtained the user's credentials and is using them from a different location. Option A (Insider threat) is less likely because an insider would not typically need to log in from two distant locations simultaneously. Option B (Time synchronization issue) would cause log timestamps to be off, but not the pattern of two logins from different locations. Option D (Misconfigured VPN) could mask the actual location but would not typically produce two distinct distant locations. Therefore, option C is the most likely indication.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Insider threat
Why it's wrong here
An insider would normally not need to log in from two distant locations rapidly.
- ✗
Time synchronization issue
Why it's wrong here
Time sync issues would affect timestamps but not produce logins from different locations.
- ✓
Credential theft and reuse
Why this is correct
This is a classic sign of stolen credentials being used by an attacker.
- ✗
Misconfigured VPN
Why it's wrong here
A misconfigured VPN might cause multiple logins but not typically from geographically distant locations.
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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.