SPLK-1002 Transactions and Event Correlation Practice Question
A network operations team monitors firewall logs using Splunk. They need to group events from the same TCP session, identified by 'src_ip', 'dst_ip', and 'src_port'. The logs contain events for 'session_start', 'data_transfer', and 'session_end' actions. They currently use `transaction src_ip dst_ip src_port startswith=action=session_start endswith=action=session_end`. However, many transactions are incomplete because some sessions do not have a 'session_end' event due to firewall timeouts. The team wants to include these incomplete sessions as well, but still group them around a start event. What should they modify?
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
✓
Remove endswith and add maxspan=30m
To include incomplete sessions without an 'session_end' event, remove the `endswith` clause and add a `maxspan` time limit. This ensures that transactions are automatically closed after the specified time (30 minutes) if no end event is encountered. The `startswith` clause remains to initiate transactions only on 'session_start' events. Option B correctly implements this: `transaction src_ip dst_ip src_port startswith=action=session_start maxspan=30m`. This way, sessions that timeout are still captured as transactions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Add `maxspan=30m` and keep endswith
Why it's wrong here
Still requires session_end to close; maxspan will only limit the span after start, but without end, transaction will wait indefinitely.
- ✓
Remove endswith and add maxspan=30m
Why this is correct
Startswith defines start; maxspan closes the transaction automatically after 30 minutes if no end.
- ✗
Change startswith to `action=session_start OR action=session_end`
Why it's wrong here
Would create transactions starting with either, causing confusion.
- ✗
Use `transaction src_ip dst_ip src_port maxspan=30m` without startswith or endswith
Why it's wrong here
Would group all events for that combination, potentially mixing different sessions.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SPLK-1002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Splunk 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 SPLK-1002 exam.