The answer is `index=main action=failure | stats count by user | where count > 5`. This sequence is correct because it demonstrates the proper order for using stats with a where clause for conditional aggregation: first filter the raw events to only failed logins, then aggregate the counts per user, and finally apply the post-aggregation filter to keep only users with more than 5 failures. On the SPLK-1002 exam, this tests your understanding that `where` after `stats` operates on calculated fields, not raw events—a common trap is placing `where` before `stats`, which would filter individual events rather than aggregated results. The key distinction is that `where` before aggregation filters rows, while `where` after aggregation filters groups. For the exam, remember the pipeline order: search events → stats to build groups → where to trim groups. A useful memory tip is "Search, Summarize, Select"—always aggregate before applying your conditional threshold.
SPLK-1002 Practice Question: Creating Reports, Dashboards and Visualizations
This SPLK-1002 practice question tests your understanding of creating reports, dashboards and visualizations. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A security analyst wants to create a report that shows the count of failed login attempts per user over the last 24 hours, but only for users with more than 5 failures. Which Splunk command sequence should be used?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
index=main action=failure | stats count by user | where count > 5
Option D is correct because it first filters events to only failed login attempts using `index=main action=failure`, then uses `stats count by user` to count failures per user, and finally applies `where count > 5` to keep only users with more than 5 failures. This sequence ensures the count is calculated only on the relevant subset of events and the filter is applied after aggregation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
index=main action=failure | top limit=5 user
Why it's wrong here
This returns the top 5 users by count but does not enforce a minimum count of 5 failures.
✗
index=main | stats count by user | where count > 5
Why it's wrong here
This does not filter for failed actions; it counts all events per user.
✗
index=main action=failure | stats count by user | search count > 5
Why it's wrong here
Using 'search' after 'stats' is redundant and may cause syntax issues; 'where' is preferred.
✓
index=main action=failure | stats count by user | where count > 5
Why this is correct
Correctly filters failures, counts by user, and applies the threshold.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the `where` and `search` commands, thinking `search` is always required for filtering, or they forget to filter for `action=failure` before aggregating, leading to incorrect counts of all events instead of only failed logins.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `where` command operates on the results table in memory and is optimized for field-value comparisons after statistical aggregation, whereas `search` re-indexes the results through the search pipeline, which can be slower for large datasets. In Splunk, `stats count by user` creates a new field `count` that can be referenced directly in `where count > 5`. This pattern is common in security monitoring for threshold-based alerting, such as detecting brute-force attacks where a user exceeds a failure threshold within a sliding time window.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the SPLK-1002 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Creating Reports, Dashboards and Visualizations — This question tests Creating Reports, Dashboards and Visualizations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: index=main action=failure | stats count by user | where count > 5 — Option D is correct because it first filters events to only failed login attempts using `index=main action=failure`, then uses `stats count by user` to count failures per user, and finally applies `where count > 5` to keep only users with more than 5 failures. This sequence ensures the count is calculated only on the relevant subset of events and the filter is applied after aggregation.
What should I do if I get this SPLK-1002 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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