SPLK-1002 Transactions and Event Correlation Practice Question
An analyst needs to correlate events from a web server log and an application log to identify failed login attempts followed within 5 seconds by an error event. The events share a common session ID field. Which approach should the analyst use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Splunk often tests the misconception that `stats` or `eventstats` can perform event correlation, but these commands aggregate data and lose the individual event sequence required for time-ordered correlation within a specific window.
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
✓
Use `transaction sessionID maxspan=5s` to group events by session ID within 5 seconds
The `transaction` command is designed to group related events based on shared field values (sessionID) within a specified time boundary (maxspan=5s). This allows the analyst to correlate web server and application log events that share the same session ID and occur within 5 seconds, making it straightforward to identify failed login attempts followed by an error event.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Use `transaction sessionID maxspan=5s` to group events by session ID within 5 seconds
Why this is correct
Transaction groups events sharing the sessionID field and limits the span to 5 seconds, allowing pattern detection.
- ✗
Use `append` to combine the two sourcetypes and then `search` for the pattern
Why it's wrong here
Append does not correlate events; it just adds rows.
- ✗
Use `eventstats` to compute counts by sessionID and then filter
Why it's wrong here
Eventstats adds aggregated values but does not enforce a time window for correlation.
- ✗
Use `stats` with values() and a by clause on sessionID
Why it's wrong here
Stats groups events but does not enforce time proximity between different sourcetypes.
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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.