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SSCP Practice Question: Given the exhibit, what is the most likely…
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. [alert from SIEM] Alert: High Priority Rule: Possible Brute Force Attack Source IP: 192.168.1.50 Target: Server 10.0.0.10 Count: 150 failed logins in 5 minutes Time: 2024-03-21 14:32:15 [additional log from authentication server] Log: Successful login from 192.168.1.50 to 10.0.0.10 at 14:34:20 for user 'admin'.
Given the exhibit, what is the most likely conclusion?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates may dismiss the successful login as a false positive or coincidence, failing to recognize that the sequential pattern of failures followed by a success from the same source is the definitive signature of a successful brute-force attack.
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
✓
The brute-force attack was successful and the admin account may be compromised
The exhibit shows a brute-force attack with multiple failed login attempts followed by a successful login from the same source IP. This pattern indicates that the attacker likely guessed or cracked the password, making the admin account compromised. Option D is correct because the sequence of events directly correlates with a successful brute-force attack.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The SIEM alert is a false positive and can be ignored
Why it's wrong here
The successful login indicates the attack may have succeeded.
- ✗
The authentication server logs are misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of misconfiguration.
- ✗
The successful login is unrelated and coincidental
Why it's wrong here
The timing strongly suggests it is related to the brute force.
- ✓
The brute-force attack was successful and the admin account may be compromised
Why this is correct
The pattern indicates successful compromise.
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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.