This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of risk identification, monitoring and analysis. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Which THREE of the following are examples of detective controls?
Intrusion detection system (IDS)
IDS detects intrusions and alerts.
Security information and event management (SIEM)
SIEM collects and analyzes logs for suspicious activity.
Data encryption at rest
Why wrong: Encryption is a protective control.
Log monitoring and analysis
Monitors logs to detect anomalies.
Firewall with default-deny rule
Why wrong: Firewall is a preventive control.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Intrusion detection system (IDS)
An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a detective control because it passively monitors network traffic or system activity for signs of malicious behavior or policy violations, generating alerts when suspicious patterns are detected. Unlike a preventive control, an IDS does not block traffic; it only identifies and reports incidents after they occur or in real-time, making it a classic example of a detective security measure.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Intrusion detection system (IDS)
Why this is correct
IDS detects intrusions and alerts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Security information and event management (SIEM)
Why this is correct
SIEM collects and analyzes logs for suspicious activity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Data encryption at rest
Why it's wrong here
Encryption is a protective control.
Log monitoring and analysis
Why this is correct
Monitors logs to detect anomalies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Firewall with default-deny rule
Why it's wrong here
Firewall is a preventive control.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse preventive controls (like firewalls and encryption) with detective controls, mistakenly thinking that any security tool that 'stops' or 'protects' data also detects attacks, when in fact detective controls only identify and report incidents without blocking them.
Detailed technical explanation
Detective controls rely on logging, monitoring, and analysis to identify security events after they have occurred. For example, an IDS uses signature-based detection (matching traffic against known attack patterns like Snort rules) or anomaly-based detection (establishing a baseline and flagging deviations), while SIEM aggregates logs from multiple sources and correlates events using rules or statistical analysis to detect complex threats. Log monitoring and analysis involves reviewing system logs (e.g., syslog, Windows Event Log) for indicators of compromise, often using tools like grep or automated parsers to identify failed login attempts or privilege escalation.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis — This question tests Risk Identification, Monitoring and Analysis — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Intrusion detection system (IDS) — An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a detective control because it passively monitors network traffic or system activity for signs of malicious behavior or policy violations, generating alerts when suspicious patterns are detected. Unlike a preventive control, an IDS does not block traffic; it only identifies and reports incidents after they occur or in real-time, making it a classic example of a detective security measure.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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.
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