SSCP Security Operations and Administration Practice Question
Which THREE of the following are critical elements of a patch management policy? (Select THREE)
⚠ Common exam trap
In this question, the trap is that candidates might select 'Immediate deployment of all patches without testing' (Option B) or 'Annual review of patch status' (Option C) thinking they are critical elements. However, patch management requires testing, prioritization, and continuous verification, not haphazard deployment or infrequent reviews.
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
✓
Patch prioritization based on CVSS score and asset criticality
Patch prioritization based on CVSS score and asset criticality ensures that resources are allocated to the most impactful vulnerabilities first. CVSS provides a standardized severity rating (0-10), while asset criticality accounts for the business value and exposure of the system, enabling risk-based decision-making rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Patch prioritization based on CVSS score and asset criticality
Why this is correct
Prioritization ensures critical patches are applied first.
- ✗
Immediate deployment of all patches without testing
Why it's wrong here
Deploying without testing can lead to system instability.
- ✗
Annual review of patch status
Why it's wrong here
Patch management requires continuous monitoring, not just annual review.
- ✓
Vulnerability scanning to identify missing patches
Why this is correct
Regular scanning helps identify which patches are needed.
- ✓
Testing patches in a staging environment
Why this is correct
Testing prevents deployment of patches that may cause issues.
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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.