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200-201 Practice Question: During a security incident, an analyst needs to…
During a security incident, an analyst needs to preserve network evidence for forensic analysis. Which action should be taken first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the order of volatility (RFC 3227) and the misconception that isolating or shutting down the system is the safest first step, when in fact it destroys the most volatile evidence.
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
✓
Capture the contents of volatile memory from affected systems.
During a security incident, the first priority is to capture volatile memory (RAM) because it contains critical evidence such as running processes, network connections, and encryption keys that will be lost when the system is powered off. Option D is correct because volatile data is ephemeral and must be collected before any action that could alter the system state, such as shutdown or isolation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Isolate the affected systems from the network.
Why it's wrong here
Isolation is good, but volatile data capture should precede it if possible.
- ✗
Create a forensic image of all hard drives.
Why it's wrong here
Disk imaging is important but not as urgent as capturing volatile data.
- ✗
Shut down the affected systems to prevent further damage.
Why it's wrong here
Shutting down destroys volatile evidence.
- ✓
Capture the contents of volatile memory from affected systems.
Why this is correct
Volatile data is lost when power is removed, so it must be captured first.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.