easyMultiple Choice
SSCP Practice Question: An IT administrator needs to ensure that all…
An IT administrator needs to ensure that all workstations receive security patches in a timely manner. Which process is MOST effective for this?
⚠ Common exam trap
SSCP often tests the misconception that enabling automatic updates on individual workstations is sufficient for enterprise patch management, but the exam expects recognition that centralized control and reporting are essential for timely and consistent patching.
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
✓
Deploy a centralized patch management solution
A centralized patch management solution (C) is the most effective because it provides a single point of control to automate the distribution, installation, and verification of security patches across all workstations. It ensures consistency, timeliness, and scalability, and typically includes reporting and compliance features that manual or decentralized methods lack. This directly addresses the need to patch all workstations in a timely manner.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use only operating systems that no longer require security patches
Why it's wrong here
Unsupported operating systems still contain exploitable vulnerabilities and receive no vendor fixes, so patches cannot be applied at all. Automated patch management on supported systems delivers updates promptly; choosing an unsupported OS would only be defensible where the system is permanently isolated from all networks.
- ✗
Assign a technician to manually patch each workstation monthly
Why it's wrong here
Manual monthly patching leaves each workstation exposed until its turn and depends on the technician completing every visit. Automated patch management deploys updates centrally on schedule, which is the process designed for timely, consistent coverage across all workstations.
- ✓
Deploy a centralized patch management solution
Why this is correct
A centralised patch management solution distributes and tracks security patches across all workstations from one console, ensuring timely, consistent deployment. This directly satisfies the requirement that every workstation receive patches promptly, unlike manual or per-machine updating.
- ✗
Enable automatic updates on each workstation from the vendor
Why it's wrong here
Per-workstation automatic updates depend on each machine's vendor agent, OS support state and user deferrals, so coverage and timing cannot be enforced or reported centrally. It is tempting because it removes manual patching effort on well-managed, internet-connected hosts, but it fails the timely, auditable requirement here.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
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.