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SSCP Practice Question: Is the primary purpose of a security awareness…
Which of the following is the primary purpose of a security awareness program?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between 'awareness' (general, non-technical education for all users) and 'training' (in-depth, role-specific technical instruction), so candidates mistakenly choose D when they confuse the scope of awareness programs with advanced technical training.
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
✓
To teach employees about security best practices and reduce human error.
The primary purpose of a security awareness program is to educate employees on security best practices and reduce human error, which is the leading cause of security incidents. Unlike technical controls, awareness programs target the human element by teaching users to recognize phishing attempts, handle sensitive data properly, and follow secure behaviors. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-50 framework, which defines awareness as a foundational component of an organizational security posture.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
To teach employees about security best practices and reduce human error.
Why this is correct
This is the core purpose of awareness programs.
- ✗
To evaluate the effectiveness of security technologies.
Why it's wrong here
Technology evaluation is not a purpose of awareness programs.
- ✗
To enforce security policies through penalties.
Why it's wrong here
Enforcement is separate from awareness; awareness informs, not enforces.
- ✗
To train employees on advanced technical security skills.
Why it's wrong here
Technical skills are part of specialized training, not general awareness.
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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.