SSCP Practice Questions: Network and Communications Security Domain

Published: July 30, 2025 | 20 min read

Test your SSCP knowledge with 10 practice questions from the Network and Communications Security domain. Includes detailed explanations and answers.

SSCP Practice Questions

Master the Network and Communications Security Domain

Test your knowledge in the Network and Communications Security domain with these 10 practice questions. Each question is designed to help you prepare for the SSCP certification exam with detailed explanations to reinforce your learning.

Question 1

During a routine security audit, you discover that several Linux servers in your organization have open SSH ports accessible from the internet. To enhance security, you decide to implement a more secure SSH configuration. Which of the following changes would be most effective?

A) Disable password authentication and use key-based authentication.

B) Change the default SSH port from 22 to 2222.

C) Allow SSH access only from a specific IP range.

D) Enable root login over SSH for convenience.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: Option A is correct because disabling password authentication and using key-based authentication significantly enhances security by eliminating the risk of brute force attacks on passwords. Option B, while slightly obscuring the service, does not provide substantial security. Option C is useful but not as effective as key-based authentication. Option D is insecure as it increases the risk by allowing direct root access.

Question 2

You are a security practitioner tasked with configuring a network firewall to allow secure remote access to a Linux server using SSH. What is the best approach to configure the firewall to minimize potential security risks?

A) Allow incoming connections on port 22 from any IP address.

B) Allow incoming connections on port 22 only from specific IP addresses.

C) Allow incoming connections on port 80 and redirect them to port 22 internally.

D) Block all incoming connections and use a VPN for remote access.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct because allowing SSH access only from specific IP addresses reduces the attack surface by limiting who can attempt to connect. Option A is incorrect as it exposes the server to potential attacks from any IP. Option C is incorrect because redirecting HTTP traffic to SSH is not a secure practice and can lead to misconfigurations. Option D, while secure, may not be feasible if VPN is not an option.

Question 3

You are a security practitioner tasked with configuring a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to a web server hosted on your network. The web server should only allow incoming HTTPS traffic from the internet. Which of the following firewall rules should you implement?

A) Allow incoming traffic on port 80 and 443 from any source.

B) Allow incoming traffic on port 443 from any source and block all other incoming traffic.

C) Block incoming traffic on port 80 and allow incoming traffic on port 443 from any source.

D) Allow incoming traffic on port 443 from trusted IP addresses only and block all other incoming traffic.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: D

Explanation: Option D is correct because it restricts access to the web server to only trusted IP addresses over HTTPS (port 443), enhancing security by limiting exposure. Option A and C allow traffic from any source, which is less secure. Option B does not specify trusted IP addresses, which could lead to potential unauthorized access.

Question 4

You are a security practitioner tasked with configuring a firewall to allow secure remote access to a Linux server. Which of the following configurations should you implement to ensure secure access while minimizing potential threats?

A) Allow all incoming traffic on port 22 and use SSH keys for authentication.

B) Allow incoming traffic on port 22 only from known IP addresses and disable password authentication.

C) Allow all incoming traffic on port 443 and use a VPN for remote access.

D) Allow incoming traffic on port 3389 and require two-factor authentication.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct because allowing SSH access only from known IP addresses and disabling password authentication enhances security by reducing the attack surface and preventing brute-force attacks. Option A is incorrect because allowing all incoming traffic on port 22 is risky. Option C is incorrect because port 443 is typically used for HTTPS, not SSH. Option D is incorrect because port 3389 is used for RDP, not SSH, and does not apply to Linux servers.

Question 5

During a routine security review, you discover that an unauthorized device is communicating with your network. Which tool would be most effective in identifying and blocking this device?

A) Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS)

B) Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

C) Network Access Control (NAC)

D) Vulnerability Scanner

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Option C is correct because Network Access Control (NAC) can identify devices attempting to connect to the network and enforce policies to allow or block them. NIDS (Option A) can detect suspicious traffic but not block devices. SIEM (Option B) aggregates and analyzes logs but does not directly control network access. A vulnerability scanner (Option D) identifies vulnerabilities but does not manage network access.

Question 6

During a routine security audit, you discover that an internal web application is vulnerable to SQL injection. What is the most effective immediate action you should take to mitigate this vulnerability?

A) Update the web server software to the latest version.

B) Implement input validation and parameterized queries in the application code.

C) Block the application's IP address at the firewall.

D) Change the database admin password and monitor for suspicious activity.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct because implementing input validation and parameterized queries directly addresses the SQL injection vulnerability. Option A, while important for overall security, does not specifically address SQL injection. Option C could disrupt legitimate access and does not fix the vulnerability. Option D is a good security practice but does not mitigate SQL injection.

Question 7

A security practitioner is tasked with securing a Linux server that is exposed to the internet. Which of the following actions should be prioritized to minimize the attack surface?

A) Disable unnecessary services and close unused ports.

B) Implement a host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS).

C) Enable SELinux with default settings.

D) Install and configure a web application firewall (WAF).

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: Disabling unnecessary services and closing unused ports (Option A) directly reduces the attack surface by limiting potential entry points. While a HIDS (Option B) and SELinux (Option C) provide additional security, they do not directly reduce the attack surface. A WAF (Option D) is specific to web applications and does not address the overall server's attack surface.

Question 8

During a routine network scan, you discover that several systems are missing critical security patches. What is the best course of action to address this issue?

A) Immediately apply all available patches without testing to ensure security.

B) Schedule a maintenance window to test and deploy patches on a test environment before applying them to production.

C) Disable network access to the affected systems until they are patched.

D) Ignore the issue if there have been no known exploits for the missing patches.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Scheduling a maintenance window to test and deploy patches in a test environment ensures that patches do not disrupt production systems while maintaining security. Applying patches without testing (A) can cause system instability, disabling network access (C) can disrupt business operations, and ignoring the issue (D) leaves systems vulnerable.

Question 9

After deploying a new network intrusion detection system (NIDS), you notice an increase in false positives. What is the best approach to reduce these false positives without compromising the system’s ability to detect genuine threats?

A) Disable the rules that are causing false positives.

B) Fine-tune the sensitivity of the detection rules.

C) Whitelist the IP addresses triggering false positives.

D) Increase the logging level to gather more data.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct as fine-tuning the sensitivity of detection rules helps balance between detecting genuine threats and minimizing false positives. Option A could lead to missing real threats if those rules are still relevant. Option C could inadvertently allow malicious traffic if an IP is compromised. Option D does not address the issue of false positives directly.

Question 10

You have been alerted to unusual outbound traffic from a server. Upon investigation, you find an unauthorized process running. What should be your first step in handling this incident?

A) Terminate the unauthorized process immediately.

B) Isolate the server from the network.

C) Perform a memory dump for forensic analysis.

D) Reboot the server to stop the process.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Option B is correct because isolating the server from the network prevents further data exfiltration and allows for a controlled investigation. Option A is incorrect because terminating the process could destroy valuable forensic evidence. Option C is incorrect as a first step because it does not stop potential data loss. Option D is incorrect because rebooting the server can also destroy evidence and does not prevent further compromise.

Ready to Accelerate Your SSCP Preparation?

Join thousands of professionals who are advancing their careers through expert certification preparation with FlashGenius.

✅ Unlimited practice questions across all SSCP domains
✅ Full-length exam simulations with real-time scoring
✅ AI-powered performance tracking and weak area identification
✅ Personalized study plans with adaptive learning
✅ Mobile-friendly platform for studying anywhere, anytime
✅ Expert explanations and study resources

Start Free Practice Now

Already have an account? Sign in here

About SSCP Certification

The SSCP certification validates your expertise in network and communications security and other critical domains. Our comprehensive practice questions are carefully crafted to mirror the actual exam experience and help you identify knowledge gaps before test day.

📚 SSCP Practice Tests

📝 SSCP Cheat Sheet

👉 Mobile swipable SSCP Cheat Sheet

📚 Back to the comprehensive Ultimate Guide to ISC2 SSCP Certification