This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 SOC analyst is monitoring network traffic and notices a large amount of data being transferred from the HR file server to an external IP address during off-hours. The server is supposed to be used only during business hours. The analyst checks the server logs and sees that a user account named 'backup_service' has been active and copying files. The 'backup_service' account is a service account that is normally used for automated backups, but the backup schedule is set to run at midnight, and the current time is 3 AM. The analyst suspects credential theft. Which of the following should the analyst do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Capture a memory dump of the server for forensic analysis.
Option A is correct because capturing a memory dump preserves volatile evidence (e.g., running processes, network connections, and in-memory credentials) that is critical for forensic analysis of a suspected credential theft incident. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-86 forensic process, where memory acquisition is prioritized before any system shutdown or network changes to avoid losing evidence of the attacker's active session or malicious code.
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.
✓
Capture a memory dump of the server for forensic analysis.
Why this is correct
A memory dump preserves evidence of the attacker's current activities, which is crucial for understanding the attack.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable the 'backup_service' account immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the account may stop the activity but could also destroy evidence if the attacker has other access.
✗
Take the HR file server offline.
Why it's wrong here
Taking the server offline stops the exfiltration but loses volatile evidence like running processes.
✗
Block the external IP address at the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking the IP stops the current exfiltration but does not preserve evidence or address the compromised account.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the principle of 'preservation of evidence' where candidates mistakenly choose immediate containment actions (disable account, take offline, block IP) instead of the forensic first step of capturing volatile data.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Memory forensics tools like Volatility or FTK Imager can extract artifacts such as open network sockets, loaded kernel modules, and process memory regions that may contain the attacker's lateral movement commands or cached credentials. In a real-world scenario, the 'backup_service' account might have been compromised via a Pass-the-Hash attack, where the attacker reused NTLM hashes from memory; a memory dump would capture these hashes before they are cleared upon reboot. The order of volatility (RFC 3227) dictates that memory must be captured before any power-off or network isolation to preserve the most ephemeral evidence.
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 Concepts — This question tests Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Capture a memory dump of the server for forensic analysis. — Option A is correct because capturing a memory dump preserves volatile evidence (e.g., running processes, network connections, and in-memory credentials) that is critical for forensic analysis of a suspected credential theft incident. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-86 forensic process, where memory acquisition is prioritized before any system shutdown or network changes to avoid losing evidence of the attacker's active session or malicious code.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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