The answer is requiring a manual approval gate before deployment, as this ensures that only properly reviewed code reaches production within a CI/CD pipeline. This security control directly enforces human oversight, catching logic flaws and business-rule errors that automated tests—while essential for catching syntax or regression bugs—cannot reliably detect. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this question tests your understanding of the separation of duties and the principle of least privilege in secure development workflows; a common trap is confusing automated static analysis or code signing with the human review required for critical production changes. Remember that automated tools can produce false positives or miss subtle vulnerabilities, but a manual gate guarantees a second set of eyes. Memory tip: “Automation for speed, manual for safety”—the gate is the guard.
SSCP Systems and Application Security Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of systems and application security. 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.
A DevOps team implements a CI/CD pipeline for a web application. Which security control is BEST to ensure that only properly reviewed code reaches production?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Require a manual approval gate before deployment
Option B is correct because requiring manual approval in the pipeline ensures a human has reviewed the code before it proceeds. Option A is wrong because automated tests are important but may miss logic flaws. Option C is wrong because code signing ensures integrity but not review. Option D is wrong because static analysis is automated and may produce false positives; it does not replace human review.
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.
✗
Run static application security testing (SAST) in the pipeline
Why it's wrong here
SAST helps but does not eliminate the need for manual review.
✓
Require a manual approval gate before deployment
Why this is correct
Ensures human review of code changes, catching issues automation might miss.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Run automated unit tests and integration tests
Why it's wrong here
Automated tests catch functional issues but not necessarily security logic.
✗
Implement code signing for all artifacts
Why it's wrong here
Signing ensures integrity and provenance, not review quality.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 SSCP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Systems and Application Security — This question tests Systems and Application Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Require a manual approval gate before deployment — Option B is correct because requiring manual approval in the pipeline ensures a human has reviewed the code before it proceeds. Option A is wrong because automated tests are important but may miss logic flaws. Option C is wrong because code signing ensures integrity but not review. Option D is wrong because static analysis is automated and may produce false positives; it does not replace human review.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which SSCP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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