hardMultiple Choice
SSCP Practice Question: A security analyst reviews a firewall log showing…
A security analyst reviews a firewall log showing an internal IP attempting outbound connections to multiple external IPs on port 443. The analyst suspects command and control. Which additional data source would be MOST useful for confirmation?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose NetFlow data (Option A) because it shows traffic flows, but they overlook that DNS logs directly reveal the domain names being resolved, which is critical for identifying C2 domains that may not appear in NetFlow's IP-only view.
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
✓
DNS logs
DNS logs are the most useful additional data source because C2 traffic often uses domain generation algorithms (DGAs) or connects to known malicious domains. By correlating the outbound connections on port 443 with DNS queries, the analyst can identify suspicious domain lookups that precede the connections, revealing the C2 infrastructure. Unlike NetFlow or system logs, DNS logs directly show the domain names being resolved, which is a key indicator of C2 activity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
NetFlow data
Why it's wrong here
NetFlow records flow metadata such as source, destination, port and byte counts, but not payload content, so it cannot confirm beaconing patterns or malicious command-and-control instructions. It is tempting for traffic-volume baselining, yet DNS query logs or full packet capture would reveal the domain and payload evidence needed.
- ✗
System event logs
Why it's wrong here
System event logs record local OS activity, not the network conversations needed to confirm beaconing to external IPs; they may show process starts but not destination patterns. They are tempting because host logs reveal malicious process behaviour, and would be correct when correlating a suspicious local process with its execution history.
- ✓
DNS logs
Why this is correct
DNS logs record the domain names resolved before outbound connections, revealing algorithmically generated or newly registered C2 domains that raw IP-and-port-443 firewall entries cannot show. This directly confirms command and control by tying the internal host's beaconing to known malicious infrastructure.
- ✗
Antivirus logs
Why it's wrong here
Antivirus logs only record detections and signature or heuristic matches; they cannot confirm command-and-control traffic when no malware signature fires. They are tempting because endpoint protection telemetry can identify malware, and would be correct if the suspected implant were already detected or quarantined on the host.
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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.