hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. ERROR: Certificate verification failed - self-signed certificate in certificate chain
Refer to the exhibit. What is the most likely cause of this error?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between certificate chain validation failures (root CA not trusted) versus other certificate errors (expired, revoked, weak key), and the trap here is that candidates confuse a missing root CA with a revoked or expired certificate, which produce different error messages.
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 root CA is not trusted
The error 'The root CA is not trusted' occurs because the client device does not have the root CA certificate installed in its trusted root store. When a server presents a certificate chain, the client must be able to validate the chain up to a trusted root CA; if the root CA is missing or not trusted, the certificate chain is considered invalid, and the connection is rejected.
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 root CA is not trusted
Why this is correct
A self-signed certificate in the chain means the CA is not in the trust store.
- ✗
The certificate has been revoked
Why it's wrong here
Revocation would produce a revocation error.
- ✗
The certificate is expired
Why it's wrong here
An expired certificate would generate an expiration error.
- ✗
The certificate uses weak encryption
Why it's wrong here
Weak encryption would not cause a chain verification failure.
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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.