- A
Accessing systems not normally used by the user
Correct: Lateral movement often involves accessing unusual systems.
- B
Downloading large volumes of data
Correct: Data exfiltration often involves large downloads.
- C
Logging in during normal business hours from a known workstation
Why wrong: This is normal behavior and not indicative of compromise.
- D
Printing a document
Why wrong: Printing is not typically a strong indicator of compromise.
- E
Accessing sensitive files after hours
Correct: After-hours access is a common anomaly.
Question 947 of 1,000
UBA Compromised Account Detection: Three Key Activities
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.
A security team is implementing User Behavior Analytics (UBA) to detect insider threats. Which THREE types of activities would most likely indicate a compromised account?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
✓
Accessing systems not normally used by the user
Accessing systems not normally used by the user (A) is a strong indicator of a compromised account because User Behavior Analytics (UBA) builds a baseline of each user's typical access patterns, including which servers, applications, or network segments they routinely interact with. A deviation from this baseline—such as authenticating to a system outside the user's job function—triggers an anomaly score, as it suggests an attacker is using stolen credentials to move laterally. This aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and is a core detection signal in UBA platforms like Splunk UBA or Microsoft Sentinel UEBA.
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.
- ✓
Accessing systems not normally used by the user
Why this is correct
Correct: Lateral movement often involves accessing unusual systems.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Downloading large volumes of data
Why this is correct
Correct: Data exfiltration often involves large downloads.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Logging in during normal business hours from a known workstation
Why it's wrong here
This is normal behavior and not indicative of compromise.
- ✗
Printing a document
Why it's wrong here
Printing is not typically a strong indicator of compromise.
- ✓
Accessing sensitive files after hours
Why this is correct
Correct: After-hours access is a common anomaly.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
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 assume any 'sensitive file access' is automatically malicious, but UBA requires a deviation from the user's baseline—accessing sensitive files after hours (E) is anomalous only if the user never does so during normal hours, whereas accessing systems not normally used (A) is a clearer deviation from established patterns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
UBA engines use machine learning models (e.g., isolation forests or clustering algorithms) to profile user behavior across multiple dimensions, including geolocation, time of day, device fingerprint, and data transfer volume. A real-world scenario involves an attacker who compromises a user's account and then accesses a database server (e.g., SQL Server) that the user has never accessed before, which UBA flags as a high-risk event even if the login occurs during business hours. The subtle behavior here is that UBA can detect 'impossible travel' (e.g., a login from New York followed by a login from London within 30 minutes) by comparing IP geolocation data against the user's historical patterns.
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 security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
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: Accessing systems not normally used by the user — Accessing systems not normally used by the user (A) is a strong indicator of a compromised account because User Behavior Analytics (UBA) builds a baseline of each user's typical access patterns, including which servers, applications, or network segments they routinely interact with. A deviation from this baseline—such as authenticating to a system outside the user's job function—triggers an anomaly score, as it suggests an attacker is using stolen credentials to move laterally. This aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and is a core detection signal in UBA platforms like Splunk UBA or Microsoft Sentinel UEBA.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on SSCP
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. A security analyst is reviewing logs from a SIEM and notices multiple failed login attempts for a privileged account from an IP address in a foreign country, followed by a successful login after hours. Which type of security monitoring tool would be most effective at detecting this pattern as anomalous behavior based on user baseline?
medium- A.Signature-based IDS
- B.Network-based IPS
- C.Host-based IDS
- ✓ D.User Behavior Analytics (UBA)
Why D: User Behavior Analytics (UBA) is designed to establish a baseline of normal user activity and detect anomalies such as a privileged account logging in from an unusual geographic location after hours. Unlike signature or rule-based tools, UBA uses statistical modeling and machine learning to identify deviations from the user's historical patterns, making it ideal for detecting this type of credential misuse.
Variation 2. An organization uses User Behavior Analytics (UBA) to detect insider threats. Which of the following activities would most likely trigger an alert for a compromised account?
hard- A.User receives a large number of emails
- B.User logs in from a recognized corporate device
- ✓ C.User attempts to access a database at 2:00 AM, which is outside their normal pattern
- D.User accesses the same files as usual during business hours
Why C: User Behavior Analytics (UBA) establishes a baseline of normal user activity, including typical login times, locations, and access patterns. An attempt to access a database at 2:00 AM, which falls outside the user's established temporal baseline, represents a significant deviation that UBA algorithms flag as anomalous. This behavior is a classic indicator of a compromised account, as attackers often operate during off-hours to avoid detection.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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