- A
True positive
Why wrong: True positive means the vulnerability is real and exploitable.
- B
Risk acceptance
Why wrong: Risk acceptance is a decision, not a classification of a finding.
- C
False positive
False positive indicates the scanner incorrectly identified a vulnerability.
- D
False negative
Why wrong: False negative means a real vulnerability was missed.
Question 679 of 1,000
SSCP Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of risk identification, monitoring, and analysis. 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 vulnerability scanner reports a medium-severity finding on a server. After investigation, the security team determines that the vulnerability is not exploitable due to existing compensating controls. How should this finding be classified in the vulnerability management process?
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
✓
False positive
A false positive occurs when a vulnerability scanner reports a finding that, upon investigation, is determined not to be a real security risk. In this case, the vulnerability is not exploitable due to compensating controls, meaning the scanner's alert was incorrect in the context of the actual environment. Therefore, the finding should be classified as a false positive, not a true vulnerability.
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.
- ✗
True positive
Why it's wrong here
True positive means the vulnerability is real and exploitable.
- ✗
Risk acceptance
Why it's wrong here
Risk acceptance is a decision, not a classification of a finding.
- ✓
False positive
Why this is correct
False positive indicates the scanner incorrectly identified a vulnerability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
False negative
Why it's wrong here
False negative means a real vulnerability was missed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse a non-exploitable vulnerability with a true positive, failing to recognize that the classification depends on actual exploitability in the current environment, not just the presence of a potential weakness.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Vulnerability scanners like Nessus or OpenVAS use signature-based detection and may report findings based on version numbers or configuration patterns without verifying exploitability in the specific environment. Compensating controls such as network segmentation, host-based firewalls, or application-layer filtering can mitigate the attack vector, making the finding a false positive. In real-world scenarios, a scanner might flag a missing patch for a service that is not actually running or is behind a reverse proxy, requiring manual verification to reclassify the finding.
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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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — This question tests Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: False positive — A false positive occurs when a vulnerability scanner reports a finding that, upon investigation, is determined not to be a real security risk. In this case, the vulnerability is not exploitable due to compensating controls, meaning the scanner's alert was incorrect in the context of the actual environment. Therefore, the finding should be classified as a false positive, not a true vulnerability.
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.
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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