The immediate response is to change the root password and disable root SSH login. This is correct because the sshd log reveals repeated failed root login attempts from a single IP address, which is the classic signature of a brute force attack detection logs pattern targeting the root account. By changing the password and setting `PermitRootLogin no` in the SSH configuration, you directly eliminate the attack vector—no amount of password guessing can succeed if root cannot authenticate via SSH at all. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this scenario tests your ability to apply the principle of least privilege and incident response prioritization; a common trap is to focus on blocking the IP address first, but the root account itself remains vulnerable to future attacks from other sources. Remember the mnemonic "Root Lock First"—always neutralize the targeted account before chasing the attacker.
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.
[Linux auth.log]
Feb 18 10:15:22 server sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 203.0.113.5 port 22 ssh2
Feb 18 10:15:23 server sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 203.0.113.5 port 22 ssh2
... (50 more identical lines)
Feb 18 10:15:25 server sshd[1234]: Accepted password for root from 203.0.113.5 port 22 ssh2
Refer to the exhibit. An analyst reviews the sshd log. What should be the immediate response?
Refer to the exhibit.
[Linux auth.log]
Feb 18 10:15:22 server sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 203.0.113.5 port 22 ssh2
Feb 18 10:15:23 server sshd[1234]: Failed password for root from 203.0.113.5 port 22 ssh2
... (50 more identical lines)
Feb 18 10:15:25 server sshd[1234]: Accepted password for root from 203.0.113.5 port 22 ssh2
A
Block the source IP 203.0.113.5 on the firewall
Why wrong: Blocking IP is a good step but does not address the compromised root account.
B
Disable SSH service on the server
Why wrong: Disabling SSH may break legitimate administration.
C
Inform the server administrator of the suspicious activity
Why wrong: Informing is not an immediate containment action.
D
Change the root password and disable root SSH login
Immediately revoke access for the compromised account and prevent further use.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Change the root password and disable root SSH login
The sshd log shows repeated failed root login attempts from IP 203.0.113.5, indicating a brute-force attack targeting the root account. The immediate response is to change the root password and disable root SSH login (e.g., set `PermitRootLogin no` in `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`), as this directly mitigates the attack vector by removing the ability to authenticate as root via SSH. This aligns with the principle of least privilege and is a standard first step in SSH security hardening.
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.
✗
Block the source IP 203.0.113.5 on the firewall
Why it's wrong here
Blocking IP is a good step but does not address the compromised root account.
✗
Disable SSH service on the server
Why it's wrong here
Disabling SSH may break legitimate administration.
✗
Inform the server administrator of the suspicious activity
Why it's wrong here
Informing is not an immediate containment action.
✓
Change the root password and disable root SSH login
Why this is correct
Immediately revoke access for the compromised account and prevent further use.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose to block the source IP (Option A) because it seems like a quick fix, but they overlook that the root account remains exposed and the attacker can simply switch IPs, making the password change and disabling root login the correct immediate response.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSH brute-force attacks often target the root account because it has a known username (UID 0) and unlimited login attempts by default. Disabling root SSH login (`PermitRootLogin no`) forces attackers to guess both a username and password, exponentially increasing the difficulty. In practice, administrators should also implement `MaxAuthTries` (default 6 in OpenSSH) and use `fail2ban` or `sshd` rate-limiting to further reduce attack surface, but changing the root password immediately stops the current attack vector.
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 SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
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: Change the root password and disable root SSH login — The sshd log shows repeated failed root login attempts from IP 203.0.113.5, indicating a brute-force attack targeting the root account. The immediate response is to change the root password and disable root SSH login (e.g., set `PermitRootLogin no` in `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`), as this directly mitigates the attack vector by removing the ability to authenticate as root via SSH. This aligns with the principle of least privilege and is a standard first step in SSH security hardening.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Based on the exhibit, which type of attack is most likely occurring?
easy
A.Denial of service.
✓ B.Brute force attack.
C.Dictionary attack.
D.Man-in-the-middle.
Why B: The exhibit shows a high number of failed authentication attempts (e.g., 1000+ failures) from a single source IP within a short time window, targeting a specific user account. This pattern is characteristic of a brute force attack, where an attacker systematically tries many password combinations to gain unauthorized access. Unlike a dictionary attack, which uses a predefined list of likely passwords, a brute force attack exhaustively tests all possible combinations, as indicated by the sheer volume of attempts.
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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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.
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