- A
Remove unnecessary services and daemons
Reduces attack surface by eliminating unused services.
- B
Disable unused user accounts
Unused accounts can be exploited; disabling them reduces risk.
- C
Install a web server for management
Why wrong: Adding a web server increases attack surface.
- D
Set umask to 000
Why wrong: umask 000 gives full permissions, which is insecure.
- E
Enable IPv6 routing
Why wrong: Enabling IPv6 could increase attack surface if not needed.
Question 499 of 1,000
SSCP Systems and Application Security Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of systems and application security. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 engineer is hardening a Linux server. Which TWO actions are recommended to reduce the attack surface? (Select TWO.)
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
✓
Remove unnecessary services and daemons
Removing unnecessary services and disabling unused accounts reduce the number of potential entry points for attackers.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Remove unnecessary services and daemons
Why this is correct
Reduces attack surface by eliminating unused services.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- ✓
Disable unused user accounts
Why this is correct
Unused accounts can be exploited; disabling them reduces risk.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- ✗
Install a web server for management
Why it's wrong here
Adding a web server increases attack surface.
- ✗
Set umask to 000
Why it's wrong here
umask 000 gives full permissions, which is insecure.
- ✗
Enable IPv6 routing
Why it's wrong here
Enabling IPv6 could increase attack surface if not needed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
- Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
- Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
- The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
- Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
- Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
- Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
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. Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets. 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 block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SSCP subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Systems and Application Security — This question tests Systems and Application Security — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Remove unnecessary services and daemons — Removing unnecessary services and disabling unused accounts reduce the number of potential entry points for attackers.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SSCP subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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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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