hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: A SOC analyst reviews an alert for a user who…
A SOC analyst reviews an alert for a user who downloaded a large amount of data from a sensitive database at 3:00 AM. The user's manager confirms the user was not on call. Which type of risk indicator is this activity best described as?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between technical indicators (like vulnerabilities or errors) and behavioral indicators, trapping candidates who confuse a user's anomalous action with a system-level flaw or log entry.
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
✓
User behavior risk indicator
The activity describes a user downloading a large volume of sensitive data at an anomalous time (3:00 AM) without authorization, which directly maps to a User Behavior Risk Indicator (UBRI). UBRI focuses on deviations from established baselines of user actions, such as unusual access times, data volumes, or locations, to detect potential insider threats or compromised accounts. This is not a technical vulnerability, error log, or configuration issue, but a behavioral anomaly that requires investigation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Technical vulnerability indicator
Why it's wrong here
A technical vulnerability would be a weakness in software or hardware, not user activity.
- ✓
User behavior risk indicator
Why this is correct
The unusual access pattern is a behavioral indicator of potential insider threat or compromise.
- ✗
Error log indicator
Why it's wrong here
Error logs record system errors; this is a user activity log.
- ✗
Configuration drift indicator
Why it's wrong here
Configuration drift refers to changes in system settings, not user actions.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every SSCP question from scratch — 920 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.