mediumMultiple Choice
SSCP Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. [IDS Alert] Timestamp: 2025-02-18 14:23:45 Source IP: 10.10.10.5 -> Destination IP: 192.168.1.100 Signature: ET WEB_SPECIFIC SQL Injection Attempt Payload: ' OR '1'='1' --
Refer to the exhibit. The analyst sees this IDS alert. What is the most likely outcome if the target web application is vulnerable?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between SQL injection and other web attacks (like XSS or buffer overflows), and the trap here is that candidates may confuse the outcome of SQL injection with remote code execution or privilege escalation, when the primary and most likely result is authentication bypass or data extraction.
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
✓
Authentication bypass or data extraction
The IDS alert indicates a SQL injection attempt (e.g., '1=1' or similar pattern). If the web application is vulnerable, the attacker can manipulate SQL queries to bypass authentication (e.g., logging in without valid credentials) or extract data from the database (e.g., dumping user tables). This is the most direct outcome of a successful SQL injection.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Buffer overflow and remote code execution
Why it's wrong here
Buffer overflow and remote code execution describe memory corruption exploits, whereas the alert reflects an injection attack against the web application's database queries. It is tempting because RCE is a severe outcome of many exploits, but it arises from memory-safety flaws, not injection flaws.
- ✓
Authentication bypass or data extraction
Why this is correct
An SQL injection payload in the alert indicates the attacker is probing for database manipulation flaws. If the web application fails to sanitise input, the injected query executes, allowing authentication bypass or extraction of stored data. This directly satisfies the stem's vulnerability condition, making database compromise the likely outcome.
- ✗
Cross-site scripting (XSS) attack
Why it's wrong here
XSS executes script in a victim's browser session; the alert describes server-side injection against the web application, whose outcome is database compromise rather than client-side scripting. It is tempting because XSS is a common web application vulnerability, but it targets other users' browsers, not the backend database.
- ✗
Privilege escalation on the database server
Why it's wrong here
The alert indicates a web input attack, whose likely outcome is database query manipulation or data exposure, not privilege escalation on the database server host. It is tempting because privilege escalation is a genuine post-exploitation outcome, but it follows host or OS-level compromise, not a web application injection.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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