- A
Encrypting logs during transmission only
Why wrong: Encryption protects in transit, but not at rest.
- B
Compressing logs to save space
Why wrong: Compression does not ensure integrity.
- C
Storing logs on a standard file server with restricted permissions
Why wrong: Permissions can be changed; integrity is not fully ensured.
- D
Using write-once storage and digitally signing each log entry
This prevents tampering and ensures non-repudiation.
Question 185 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.
An organization is required to maintain audit logs for at least one year for compliance purposes. Which log management practice best ensures the integrity of these logs?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
✓
Using write-once storage and digitally signing each log entry
Write-once storage (e.g., WORM media or append-only filesystems) prevents any modification or deletion of log entries after they are written. Digitally signing each log entry ensures that any tampering can be detected by verifying the signature against the log data. Together, these provide non-repudiation and integrity, meeting compliance requirements for immutable audit logs.
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.
- ✗
Encrypting logs during transmission only
Why it's wrong here
Encryption protects in transit, but not at rest.
- ✗
Compressing logs to save space
Why it's wrong here
Compression does not ensure integrity.
- ✗
Storing logs on a standard file server with restricted permissions
Why it's wrong here
Permissions can be changed; integrity is not fully ensured.
- ✓
Using write-once storage and digitally signing each log entry
Why this is correct
This prevents tampering and ensures non-repudiation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose restricted permissions (Option C) thinking access control is sufficient, but the SSCP exam emphasizes that integrity requires cryptographic proof and immutability, not just authorization.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Write-once storage is often implemented using WORM (Write Once Read Many) optical media or immutable object storage in cloud environments (e.g., S3 Object Lock in compliance mode). Digital signatures use asymmetric cryptography (e.g., RSA or ECDSA) where each log entry is hashed and the hash is encrypted with a private key; verification uses the corresponding public key. In practice, this ensures that even an administrator with full system access cannot alter logs without detection, which is critical for meeting regulatory standards like PCI DSS or SOX.
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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis — study guide chapter
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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: Using write-once storage and digitally signing each log entry — Write-once storage (e.g., WORM media or append-only filesystems) prevents any modification or deletion of log entries after they are written. Digitally signing each log entry ensures that any tampering can be detected by verifying the signature against the log data. Together, these provide non-repudiation and integrity, meeting compliance requirements for immutable audit logs.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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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