The answer is to request a temporary exception from the CISO while expediting the updates. This is correct because it directly applies the incident response policy’s business-critical exception clause, which allows for a controlled deviation from standard quarantine procedures when approved by the Chief Information Security Officer. The core technical concept here is the balance between antivirus non-compliance and business continuity: security controls must be flexible enough to prevent operational paralysis, but exceptions must be formally authorized and paired with accelerated remediation to minimize risk. On the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of policy hierarchy and escalation procedures—specifically, that a CISO-approved exception is a valid, documented override for standard quarantine actions. A common trap is choosing to quarantine immediately without considering the business impact, which ignores the policy’s own exception clause, or updating without quarantining, which bypasses required security controls. Remember the memory tip: “Exception with escalation, not isolation without consideration.”
200-201 Security Policies and Procedures Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security policies and procedures. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
You are a security operations analyst for a medium-sized enterprise. The company's security policy requires that all endpoint devices have antivirus software installed and updated. During a routine check, you find that a group of 50 laptops used by the sales team have not received antivirus updates for over three months. The policy also states that any non-compliant devices must be quarantined from the network until they are remediated. The sales team manager argues that quarantining the laptops will disrupt critical sales activities. The company's incident response policy has a clause that allows for temporary exceptions in business-critical situations, but requires approval from the CISO. What is the best course of action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Request a temporary exception from the CISO while expediting the updates
Option C is correct because it balances security policy compliance with business continuity. The incident response policy explicitly allows temporary exceptions for business-critical situations with CISO approval, and expediting the updates ensures the 50 laptops are remediated quickly. Quarantining without considering the business impact could violate the company's own exception clause, while ignoring the issue or updating without quarantining bypasses the security controls required by policy.
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 issue to avoid disrupting sales activities
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the policy increases risk of malware infection.
✗
Quarantine the laptops immediately as per policy
Why it's wrong here
Quarantine may be too disruptive without CISO approval.
✓
Request a temporary exception from the CISO while expediting the updates
Why this is correct
The exception process allows business continuity while addressing the issue.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Update the antivirus without quarantining, then report to management
Why it's wrong here
Updating is good, but the policy requires quarantine; exception must be approved.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the balance between strict policy enforcement and business continuity, trapping candidates who choose immediate quarantine (Option B) without considering documented exception processes, or who choose to update without quarantine (Option D) thinking it's a practical workaround.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Antivirus updates rely on signature databases (e.g., daily definition files) to detect known threats; a three-month gap means the laptops are vulnerable to thousands of new signatures. The CISO's approval for a temporary exception typically involves a risk acceptance form and a defined remediation timeline (e.g., 24 hours), often enforced via network access control (NAC) policies that can place devices in a quarantine VLAN while updates are pushed. In real-world scenarios, automated patch management tools like Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager or WSUS can expedite updates across 50 laptops within hours if the network is segmented properly.
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 Policies and Procedures — This question tests Security Policies and Procedures — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Request a temporary exception from the CISO while expediting the updates — Option C is correct because it balances security policy compliance with business continuity. The incident response policy explicitly allows temporary exceptions for business-critical situations with CISO approval, and expediting the updates ensures the 50 laptops are remediated quickly. Quarantining without considering the business impact could violate the company's own exception clause, while ignoring the issue or updating without quarantining bypasses the security controls required by policy.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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