The correct answer is an active brute-force attack against the SSH service. This log pattern—multiple rapid failed SSH authentication attempts from various IP addresses followed by a single successful login from one of those IPs—is the definitive technical signature of a credential-stuffing or password-spraying attack, where an adversary iterates through common passwords until one succeeds, confirming the service has been compromised. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this scenario tests your ability to perform brute force attack identification from logs, a core domain of monitoring and incident response. A common trap is dismissing the successful login as legitimate, but the preceding failure burst from the same source IP is the red flag. Memory tip: think “fail-flood then floodgate opens”—the success is the breach, not the end of the threat.
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Oct 15 09:23:45 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:46 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:47 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:48 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:49 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Refer to the exhibit. A security analyst reviews these logs from a server. What immediate risk is most indicated by this log pattern?
Refer to the exhibit.
Oct 15 09:23:45 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:46 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:47 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:48 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
Oct 15 09:23:49 server01 sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 192.168.1.100 port 22 ssh2
A
Insider threat from user root
Why wrong: The source IP is likely external; internal root would not need to brute-force.
B
Active brute-force attack against the SSH service
Multiple failed attempts in quick succession indicate a brute-force attempt.
C
Malware infection on the server
Why wrong: No evidence of malware in these logs.
D
Misconfigured SSH settings allowing root login
Why wrong: While root login may be misconfigured, the immediate risk is the ongoing attack.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Active brute-force attack against the SSH service
The log pattern shows repeated failed SSH authentication attempts from multiple IP addresses in rapid succession, followed by a successful login from one of those IPs. This is the classic signature of a brute-force attack where an attacker tries many passwords until one works, indicating an active compromise of the SSH service.
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.
✗
Insider threat from user root
Why it's wrong here
The source IP is likely external; internal root would not need to brute-force.
✓
Active brute-force attack against the SSH service
Why this is correct
Multiple failed attempts in quick succession indicate a brute-force attempt.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Malware infection on the server
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of malware in these logs.
✗
Misconfigured SSH settings allowing root login
Why it's wrong here
While root login may be misconfigured, the immediate risk is the ongoing attack.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the distinction between a vulnerability (e.g., misconfigured SSH allowing root login) and an active threat (the brute-force attack succeeding), where candidates mistakenly choose the root cause instead of the immediate risk.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSH brute-force attacks typically use tools like Hydra or Medusa that cycle through common usernames (e.g., root) and password lists. The log pattern of many 'Failed password' entries from varied source IPs followed by a 'Accepted password' entry indicates the attacker found a valid credential. In real-world scenarios, attackers often use distributed botnets to evade IP-based rate limiting, making it critical to implement fail2ban or similar tools that dynamically block IPs after a threshold of failures.
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.
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: Active brute-force attack against the SSH service — The log pattern shows repeated failed SSH authentication attempts from multiple IP addresses in rapid succession, followed by a successful login from one of those IPs. This is the classic signature of a brute-force attack where an attacker tries many passwords until one works, indicating an active compromise of the SSH service.
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.
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Question Discussion
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