mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
ALERT: Port scan detected from IP 10.0.0.5 to multiple ports on internal host 192.168.1.10. Signature ID: 201. Action: Log only.
Refer to the exhibit. A security incident responder sees this alert in the SIEM. What should the responder do first?
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
✓
Check if the source IP is a legitimate internal scanner.
The correct first step is to verify whether the source IP (10.0.0.5) is a legitimate internal scanner (e.g., authorized vulnerability scanner) as indicated in Option A. Blocking the IP (Option B) could disrupt authorized scanning. Updating the firewall signature database (Option C) does not address the immediate alert. Rebooting the internal host (Option D) is premature without further investigation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Check if the source IP is a legitimate internal scanner.
Why this is correct
Verifying the source prevents unnecessary action against authorized scanning.
- ✗
Block the source IP at the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking without verification could impact legitimate operations.
- ✗
Update the firewall signature database.
Why it's wrong here
Signature updates are not a response to this specific alert.
- ✗
Reboot the internal host 192.168.1.10.
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting may disrupt services and does not address the potential scanning.
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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.