- A
Investigate the change to determine its source and impact
Investigation helps decide the appropriate response.
- B
Notify the server owner
Why wrong: Important but investigation should come first.
- C
Revert the server to the last known good configuration
Why wrong: Should be done after investigation to ensure no loss of legitimate changes.
- D
Disable the server's network access
Why wrong: May be too drastic without understanding the change.
Question 701 of 1,000
SSCP Security Operations and Administration Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of security operations and administration. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 security administrator receives an alert from the SIEM indicating a configuration change on a critical server. The change was not part of any approved change request. What should be the first step?
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 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
✓
Investigate the change to determine its source and impact
The first step when an unauthorized configuration change is detected is to investigate the change to determine its source and impact. This aligns with the incident response process, where initial assessment (identification and scoping) precedes containment or remediation. Without investigation, reverting or disabling could destroy forensic evidence or disrupt legitimate services.
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.
- ✓
Investigate the change to determine its source and impact
Why this is correct
Investigation helps decide the appropriate response.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Notify the server owner
Why it's wrong here
Important but investigation should come first.
- ✗
Revert the server to the last known good configuration
Why it's wrong here
Should be done after investigation to ensure no loss of legitimate changes.
- ✗
Disable the server's network access
Why it's wrong here
May be too drastic without understanding the change.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to immediate containment (revert or disable) without recognizing that the first step in incident response is always to verify and scope the incident before taking action.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In SIEM-driven incident response, the initial alert triggers a triage phase where the analyst correlates the change event with logs (e.g., Windows Security Event ID 4688 for process creation, Linux auditd logs, or configuration management database (CMDB) baselines). The investigation may involve checking the server's local security log, authentication logs, and change management system to identify the user or process that made the change. A real-world scenario might involve a misconfigured automation tool (e.g., Ansible or SCCM) making unauthorized changes, where reverting without investigation could mask the underlying automation error.
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 security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
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.
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Security Operations and Administration — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Security Operations and Administration — This question tests Security Operations and Administration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Investigate the change to determine its source and impact — The first step when an unauthorized configuration change is detected is to investigate the change to determine its source and impact. This aligns with the incident response process, where initial assessment (identification and scoping) precedes containment or remediation. Without investigation, reverting or disabling could destroy forensic evidence or disrupt legitimate services.
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.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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