easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: A security analyst receives an alert indicating a…
A security analyst receives an alert indicating a large number of failed login attempts from a single IP. The analyst blocks the IP. What should be done next?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume blocking the IP is the final step, confusing containment with resolution, and overlook the mandatory investigation phase required by incident response frameworks like NIST SP 800-61 or SANS PICERL.
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
✓
Conduct a thorough investigation
Blocking an IP address is an immediate containment action, but it does not confirm the root cause or scope of the incident. A thorough investigation is required to determine whether the failed logins were part of a brute-force attack, credential stuffing, or a misconfigured service, and to check for indicators of compromise (IoCs) such as successful logins from the same IP or lateral movement. Without investigation, the analyst risks missing a broader breach or violating incident response procedures like those outlined in NIST SP 800-61.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Report to management
Why it's wrong here
Reporting should come after investigation to provide meaningful information.
- ✗
Update the firewall rules
Why it's wrong here
Blocking the IP already handled containment; further firewall updates may be needed later.
- ✓
Conduct a thorough investigation
Why this is correct
Investigation is critical to understand if the attack was successful and if other systems are affected.
- ✗
Monitor for recurrence
Why it's wrong here
Monitoring alone is insufficient; investigation is necessary.
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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.