The answer is deploying TLS termination at the network perimeter. This is the most effective corrective action because it allows the organization to decrypt outbound HTTPS traffic, inspect the plaintext content for malicious payloads like DNS over HTTPS (DoH) queries, and then re-encrypt it before forwarding, thereby restoring visibility that network-based IDS/IPS sensors lose when traffic is encrypted. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how encryption can blind security controls and the trade-off between security and privacy; a common trap is assuming that simply blocking DoH or specific ports is sufficient, but the firm’s policy allows all outbound HTTPS, making TLS termination the only way to inspect the traffic without breaking that rule. Remember the memory tip: “Terminate to see, re-encrypt to be free”—you must break the TLS tunnel at the perimeter to let your IDS/IPS read the payload, then rebuild it to maintain secure transit.
SSCP Network and Communications Security Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of network and communications security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
A financial firm has deployed network-based IDS/IPS sensors at key points to detect and prevent intrusions. During a recent security audit, it was discovered that an attacker exfiltrated sensitive data using DNS over HTTPS (DoH) queries. The IDS/IPS did not generate any alerts. The firm's network policy allows all outbound HTTPS traffic to any destination. To prevent such exfiltration in the future, what is the most effective corrective action?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deploy TLS termination at the network perimeter
Deploying TLS termination at the network perimeter allows the organization to decrypt inbound and outbound HTTPS traffic, inspect the plaintext content, and re-encrypt it before forwarding. This enables the IDS/IPS to detect malicious payloads, such as DNS over HTTPS (DoH) queries, that would otherwise be hidden inside encrypted tunnels. Since the firm's policy allows all outbound HTTPS, TLS termination is the most effective way to regain visibility into that traffic without blocking it outright.
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.
✓
Deploy TLS termination at the network perimeter
Why this is correct
Terminating TLS allows the IDS/IPS to inspect decrypted traffic, including DoH, before re-encrypting it for transit.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable deep packet inspection on all encrypted traffic
Why it's wrong here
Deep packet inspection cannot decrypt encrypted traffic, so it would not detect DoH.
✗
Implement a DNS sinkhole and block non-corporate DNS servers
Why it's wrong here
While this blocks some exfiltration, DoH over port 443 can bypass the sinkhole; the traffic remains encrypted and uninspected.
✗
Configure the IDS/IPS to inspect DNS traffic on standard port 53 only
Why it's wrong here
DoH uses port 443 (HTTPS), not port 53; monitoring port 53 would miss DoH.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume deep packet inspection (DPI) can magically inspect encrypted traffic, but DPI requires decryption first, which is exactly what TLS termination provides.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DNS over HTTPS (DoH) is defined in RFC 8484 and encapsulates DNS queries and responses within HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 over TLS, making them indistinguishable from normal web traffic. Without TLS termination, the IDS/IPS sees only encrypted packets and cannot apply signature-based or anomaly-based detection to the DNS payload. In a real-world scenario, an attacker could use a public DoH resolver like Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 over HTTPS to exfiltrate data in DNS TXT queries, completely evading network security controls that lack decryption capabilities.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Network and Communications Security — This question tests Network and Communications Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy TLS termination at the network perimeter — Deploying TLS termination at the network perimeter allows the organization to decrypt inbound and outbound HTTPS traffic, inspect the plaintext content, and re-encrypt it before forwarding. This enables the IDS/IPS to detect malicious payloads, such as DNS over HTTPS (DoH) queries, that would otherwise be hidden inside encrypted tunnels. Since the firm's policy allows all outbound HTTPS, TLS termination is the most effective way to regain visibility into that traffic without blocking it outright.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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