easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
SSCP Practice Question: The security analyst at a mid-sized retail…
You are the security analyst at a mid-sized retail company with 500 employees. The company recently experienced a ransomware attack that encrypted files on a file server. The infection was traced to a phishing email opened by an employee in accounting. The company has antivirus software, a firewall, and daily backups. After the incident, management wants to improve risk identification to prevent future attacks. Which of the following is the MOST effective first step to improve risk identification?
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
✓
Conduct a risk assessment that includes threat modeling and vulnerability scanning
Performing a comprehensive risk assessment focusing on people, process, and technology will identify gaps like phishing training gaps, technical controls, etc. Option A only addresses one attack vector; C is reactive; D is a control but not a direct identification step.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Implement a data loss prevention (DLP) solution to monitor email traffic
Why it's wrong here
DLP is a control but does not identify broader risks.
- ✓
Conduct a risk assessment that includes threat modeling and vulnerability scanning
Why this is correct
A comprehensive risk assessment identifies all relevant risks.
- ✗
Deploy a SIEM system to aggregate logs from all systems
Why it's wrong here
SIEM improves monitoring but risk identification should precede tool selection.
- ✗
Review the logs of the compromised file server for forensic details
Why it's wrong here
Forensics is for the past incident, not proactive identification.
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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.