- A
User receives a large number of emails
Why wrong: Email volume may not be a strong indicator without baseline.
- B
User logs in from a recognized corporate device
Why wrong: Expected behavior.
- C
User attempts to access a database at 2:00 AM, which is outside their normal pattern
Deviations from baseline (time, location) are strong indicators.
- D
User accesses the same files as usual during business hours
Why wrong: Normal behavior unlikely to trigger alert.
Question 731 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 uses User Behavior Analytics (UBA) to detect insider threats. Which of the following activities would most likely trigger an alert for a compromised account?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 attempts to access a database at 2:00 AM, which is outside their normal pattern
User Behavior Analytics (UBA) establishes a baseline of normal user activity, including typical login times, locations, and access patterns. An attempt to access a database at 2:00 AM, which falls outside the user's established temporal baseline, represents a significant deviation that UBA algorithms flag as anomalous. This behavior is a classic indicator of a compromised account, as attackers often operate during off-hours to avoid detection.
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.
- ✗
User receives a large number of emails
Why it's wrong here
Email volume may not be a strong indicator without baseline.
- ✗
User logs in from a recognized corporate device
Why it's wrong here
Expected behavior.
- ✓
User attempts to access a database at 2:00 AM, which is outside their normal pattern
Why this is correct
Deviations from baseline (time, location) are strong indicators.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
User accesses the same files as usual during business hours
Why it's wrong here
Normal behavior unlikely to trigger alert.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'anomalous behavior' with 'malicious behavior,' but UBA specifically flags deviations from a baseline, and off-hours access is a textbook anomaly for a compromised account, whereas the other options represent normal or expected activities.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
UBA systems typically use machine learning models to profile user behavior across multiple dimensions, including time-of-day, geolocation, and resource access frequency. The anomaly detection engine applies statistical methods like standard deviation or clustering to identify outliers; a 2:00 AM database access might be scored as a high-risk event if the user's historical pattern shows no such activity in that time window. In a real-world scenario, an attacker who has stolen credentials might exfiltrate data during off-peak hours, making this temporal deviation a critical signal for incident response teams.
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: User attempts to access a database at 2:00 AM, which is outside their normal pattern — User Behavior Analytics (UBA) establishes a baseline of normal user activity, including typical login times, locations, and access patterns. An attempt to access a database at 2:00 AM, which falls outside the user's established temporal baseline, represents a significant deviation that UBA algorithms flag as anomalous. This behavior is a classic indicator of a compromised account, as attackers often operate during off-hours to avoid detection.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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