The answer is to tune the SIEM correlation rules and create custom filters to reduce false positive alerts. This directly addresses the core challenge of SIEM false positive reduction through tuning, as overly broad correlation rules generate noise that buries genuine threats. By refining these rules and applying custom filters, the security team can eliminate known benign patterns, making the remaining alerts more actionable for continuous monitoring. On the Systems Security Certified Practitioner SSCP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of operational efficiency within a FISMA-mandated continuous monitoring program, where the goal is to improve detection without adding headcount. A common trap is choosing to add more log sources or deploy additional tools, which only increases noise or cost, while disabling rules entirely reduces visibility. Remember the memory tip: Tune, don’t pile—sharpening rules beats stacking tools.
SSCP Security Operations and Administration Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of security operations and administration. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 government contractor is required to comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). The security officer must implement a continuous monitoring program for all information systems. The contractor uses a mix of on-premises servers and cloud services. The contractor has a SIEM tool that collects logs from all systems. However, the SIEM generates a high number of alerts, many of which are false positives, overwhelming the security team. The team wants to improve the effectiveness of the monitoring program without increasing staff. Which of the following actions would MOST effectively address the issue?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Tune the SIEM correlation rules and create custom filters to reduce false positive alerts
Tuning the SIEM correlation rules to reduce false positives will make alerts more actionable and allow the team to focus on real incidents. Option B increases noise; C is expensive and time-consuming; D reduces visibility.
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.
✗
Disable alerts for low-severity events
Why it's wrong here
This may miss real threats; tuning is more intelligent.
✗
Hire additional security analysts to review all alerts
Why it's wrong here
Hiring increases cost and does not leverage existing tools.
✗
Increase the frequency of log collection to every minute
Why it's wrong here
More frequent collection may generate even more alerts without addressing quality.
✓
Tune the SIEM correlation rules and create custom filters to reduce false positive alerts
Why this is correct
This directly reduces alert fatigue and improves efficiency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 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 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.
Security Operations and Administration — This question tests Security Operations and Administration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Tune the SIEM correlation rules and create custom filters to reduce false positive alerts — Tuning the SIEM correlation rules to reduce false positives will make alerts more actionable and allow the team to focus on real incidents. Option B increases noise; C is expensive and time-consuming; D reduces visibility.
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.
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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