The correct answer is to correlate the authentication logs with physical access logs to see if any employee was present. This is the first step in risk identification because correlating logs for risk identification allows the security team to determine whether the failed network attempts originated from inside the building or from an external source, such as a remote attacker spoofing credentials. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of log correlation as a foundational detective control—specifically, the need to cross-reference network and physical access logs before escalating to other measures like disabling accounts or changing PINs. A common trap is jumping to a technical fix (e.g., blocking the IP) without first confirming the attack vector, which wastes time and resources. Memory tip: “Logs before locks”—always correlate first to confirm the threat’s origin before applying controls.
SSCP Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of risk identification, monitoring and analysis. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 government agency requires all employees to use smart cards for network access. The security team notices a pattern of failed authentication attempts from a specific building after hours. The attempts occur every night at 2:00 AM for about 10 minutes. The building has a badge reader at the entrance. The team suspects an attacker is trying to brute-force smart card PINs. However, the building's door logs show no entry at that time. Which of the following should the security team do FIRST to identify the risk?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Correlate the authentication logs with physical access logs to see if any employee was present
Option B is correct because correlating network logs with physical access logs can confirm if the attempts are from inside or outside. Option A is too slow; C assumes outcome; D is premature.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Correlate the authentication logs with physical access logs to see if any employee was present
Why this is correct
Identifies whether the attempts are from legitimate users or external attacks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Immediately isolate the building's network segment
Why it's wrong here
May disrupt operations; escalation should be based on evidence.
✗
Change all smart card PINs for that building's employees
Why it's wrong here
Disruptive and may not stop the attacker if they are not using valid PINs.
✗
Notify law enforcement about a potential cyberattack
Why it's wrong here
Premature without internal investigation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SSCP NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis — This question tests Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Correlate the authentication logs with physical access logs to see if any employee was present — Option B is correct because correlating network logs with physical access logs can confirm if the attempts are from inside or outside. Option A is too slow; C assumes outcome; D is premature.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SSCP NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.