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Isaca CCOA Exam - Topic 1 Question 11 Discussion

Actual exam question for Isaca's CCOA exam

Question #: 11
Topic #: 1

[All CCOA Questions]

Which of the following Is a PRIMARY function of a network intrusion detection system (IDS)?

ADropping network traffic if suspicious packets are detected

BAnalyzing whether packets are suspicious

CFiltering incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security policies

DPreventing suspicious packets from being executed

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: B

The primary function of a Network Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is to analyze network traffic to detect potentially malicious activity by:

Traffic Monitoring: Continuously examining inbound and outbound data packets.

Signature and Anomaly Detection: Comparing packet data against known attack patterns or baselines.

Alerting: Generating notifications when suspicious patterns are detected.

Passive Monitoring: Unlike Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), IDS does not block or prevent traffic.

Other options analysis:

A . Dropping traffic: Function of an IPS, not an IDS.

C . Filtering traffic: Typically handled by firewalls, not IDS.

D . Preventing execution: IDS does not actively block or mitigate threats.

CCOA Official Review Manual, 1st Edition Reference:

Chapter 8: Network Monitoring and Intrusion Detection: Describes IDS functions and limitations.

Chapter 7: Security Operations and Monitoring: Covers the role of IDS in network security.

by Kate at Aug 17, 2025, 03:42 PM

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Leslie

7 months ago

Wait, can an IDS really prevent anything? Sounds off.

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Altha

7 months ago

Totally agree, it's all about detection, not prevention!

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Salome

7 months ago

IDS mainly analyzes packets for suspicious activity.

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Dorinda

7 months ago

Filtering is more of a firewall thing, right?

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Jamey

7 months ago

I thought they could drop traffic too?

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Noah

8 months ago

I recall that IDS is supposed to detect and analyze threats, so B seems like the best choice to me.

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Stephen

8 months ago

I'm not entirely sure, but I feel like D might be more about endpoint protection rather than what an IDS does.

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Cherelle

8 months ago

I remember practicing a question similar to this, and I think filtering traffic is more related to firewalls, not IDS.

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Tammi

8 months ago

I think the primary function of an IDS is more about analyzing packets rather than dropping them, so I’m leaning towards B.

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Brunilda

8 months ago

I've got a good understanding of how IDSes work, so I think I can narrow this down. The primary function is to analyze network traffic for suspicious activity, not to take direct action like dropping or preventing packets. I'm pretty confident option B is the correct answer.

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Josue

9 months ago

I'm a little confused by the wording of these options. They all seem related to network security, but I'm not sure which one specifically describes the main purpose of an IDS. I'll have to read through them again and try to figure out the best answer.

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Pa

9 months ago

Okay, let's see here. An IDS is meant to analyze network traffic and detect potential threats, not necessarily drop or prevent suspicious packets. I think the key here is to identify the primary function, which is likely option B.

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Maynard

9 months ago

Hmm, I'm a bit unsure about this one. The options seem to cover different security functions, but I'm not sure which one is the primary purpose of an IDS. I'll have to think this through carefully.

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Celeste

9 months ago

This looks like a straightforward question about the primary function of a network IDS. I'm pretty confident I know the answer, but I'll quickly review the options to make sure.

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Louis

10 months ago

Definitely, the IDS is all about detecting and analyzing suspicious network traffic, not necessarily dropping or preventing it. Option B is the way to go.

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Shalon

10 months ago

I think the primary function of a network intrusion detection system is analyzing whether packets are suspicious.

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Nguyet

11 months ago

I think the primary function of a network IDS is to analyze whether packets are suspicious. Option B seems to be the correct answer here.

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