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SSCP Practice Question: Is implementing a secure software development…
An organization is implementing a secure software development lifecycle (SDLC). Which activity should be performed during the design phase to minimize security flaws?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between design-phase activities (like threat modeling) and implementation or testing-phase activities (like code review or DAST), so the trap is assuming that any security testing or patching belongs in the design phase.
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
✓
Perform threat modeling to identify potential attack vectors.
Threat modeling is a proactive security activity performed during the design phase to identify potential attack vectors, trust boundaries, and threats before any code is written. By analyzing the system architecture and data flows, teams can mitigate security flaws early, reducing the cost and effort of fixing vulnerabilities later in the SDLC.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Perform threat modeling to identify potential attack vectors.
Why this is correct
Threat modelling systematically examines data flows and trust boundaries to expose attack vectors before code exists, satisfying the design-phase constraint of minimising flaws at their cheapest point of correction. Unlike testing or code review, it operates on architecture rather than implementation, so weaknesses are eliminated while changes remain inexpensive.
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Run dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools.
Why it's wrong here
DAST exercises a running application, so it requires deployed, executable code that the design phase has not yet produced. It is tempting because it genuinely uncovers runtime flaws, but its correct placement is testing or staging, after implementation.
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Apply security patches to the development environment.
Why it's wrong here
Patching remediates known flaws in existing components; it does not shape a new design and belongs to maintenance or build hardening. It is tempting because patching genuinely reduces exploitable vulnerabilities, but the design phase instead produces threat models and security requirements.
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Conduct a code review for security vulnerabilities.
Why it's wrong here
Code review examines written source, which does not exist until implementation, so it cannot occur during design. It is tempting because it genuinely finds vulnerabilities, but its correct placement is the development or testing phase, after code is written.
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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.