200-201 Security Policies and Procedures Practice Question
After containing a security incident, the incident response team eradicates the malware and restores systems from clean backups. Which phase of the NIST SP 800-61 Rev 2 process does this represent?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery
Eradication removes the threat, and recovery restores normal operations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Preparation
Why it's wrong here
Preparation covers building and testing the incident response capability — tools, playbooks, training and communications — before any incident occurs. Eradicating malware and restoring backups are hands-on recovery actions during a live incident. It is tempting because backups and playbooks are prepared beforehand, yet their execution here belongs to a later phase.
- ✓
Containment, Eradication, and Recovery
Why this is correct
Eradication removes the malware and recovery restores systems from clean backups, both grouped with containment in this single NIST SP 800-61 Rev 2 phase. The stem's containment-then-eradicate-then-restore sequence therefore maps directly onto it, not onto post-incident activity.
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Post-Incident Activity
Why it's wrong here
Post-Incident Activity covers the lessons-learned review and evidence retention after recovery is complete. Eradicating malware and restoring from backups are recovery actions inside Containment, Eradication and Recovery. It is tempting because restoration feels like closure, but no after-action meeting or reporting has yet occurred.
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Detection and Analysis
Why it's wrong here
Detection and Analysis covers monitoring, triage and scoping of an incident, ending once containment begins. Eradication and restoration from clean backups occur after containment, so they fall outside this phase. It is tempting because analysis continues informally throughout, but formally it precedes containment in the NIST SP 800-61 Rev 2 lifecycle.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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