The correct first step when a security alert indicates anomalous file access is to contact the user to confirm if the access was legitimate. This approach is grounded in the principle of validation before escalation, which is critical in security monitoring because an anomaly—such as an unusual hour—does not automatically equate to malicious activity. By directly communicating with the user, you can quickly verify intent, reduce false positives, and avoid wasting resources on unnecessary incident response activation. On the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam, this question tests your understanding of the initial response workflow, specifically the importance of triage and context gathering before jumping to containment or investigation. A common trap is to immediately isolate the system or escalate to a higher tier, but the exam emphasizes that the first step is always to gather information from the most reliable source—the user. Remember the memory tip: “Ask before you act” to avoid assuming the worst from an anomaly.
200-201 Security Monitoring Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security monitoring. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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 monitoring tool generates an alert for a user accessing a sensitive file at an unusual hour. What is the most appropriate next step?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Contact the user to confirm if the access was legitimate.
Option B is correct because the alert indicates an anomaly (unusual hour), but not necessarily malicious activity. The most appropriate first step is to verify the user's intent through direct communication, as this aligns with the principle of validation before escalation. In security monitoring, contacting the user helps confirm whether the access was authorized, reducing false positives and unnecessary incident response activation.
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.
✗
Ignore the alert since it is likely a false positive.
Why it's wrong here
Alerts should not be ignored without verification.
✓
Contact the user to confirm if the access was legitimate.
Why this is correct
Direct verification is a quick way to triage the alert.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Escalate the alert to the incident response team.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should occur after initial triage indicates malicious activity.
✗
Block the user's account immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking without investigation can cause unnecessary disruption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between triage and escalation, trapping candidates who jump to escalation or containment without first performing the basic verification step of contacting the user.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In security monitoring, alerts from tools like SIEMs or UEBA platforms often use behavioral baselines (e.g., time-of-day patterns) to detect anomalies. The 'unusual hour' trigger is typically a deviation from a user's historical login or access pattern, which could be due to legitimate reasons such as remote work or on-call duties. Proper triage involves checking authentication logs (e.g., Windows Event ID 4624 for logon events) and correlating with the user's role before any escalation or containment action.
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 200-201 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.
Security Monitoring — This question tests Security Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Contact the user to confirm if the access was legitimate. — Option B is correct because the alert indicates an anomaly (unusual hour), but not necessarily malicious activity. The most appropriate first step is to verify the user's intent through direct communication, as this aligns with the principle of validation before escalation. In security monitoring, contacting the user helps confirm whether the access was authorized, reducing false positives and unnecessary incident response activation.
What should I do if I get this 200-201 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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