200-201 Security Policies and Procedures Practice Question
During the Detection and Analysis phase of incident response, a SOC Tier 1 analyst identifies a potential malware infection on a critical server. What is the FIRST action the analyst should take according to NIST SP 800-61 Rev 2?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that immediate containment (disconnecting the network) is the first action, but NIST explicitly prioritizes triage and prioritization to avoid destroying evidence or overreacting.
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
✓
Perform initial triage and prioritize the incident based on severity and impact.
According to NIST SP 800-61 Rev 2, the first step in the Detection and Analysis phase is to perform initial triage and prioritize the incident based on severity and impact. This ensures that resources are allocated appropriately before any containment or escalation actions are taken. Option C is correct because triage is the foundational action that determines the urgency and scope of the response.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disconnect the server from the network immediately to contain the threat.
Why it's wrong here
Containment occurs after initial triage and prioritization.
- ✗
Escalate the incident to Tier 3 for advanced malware analysis.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation happens after triage if needed.
- ✓
Perform initial triage and prioritize the incident based on severity and impact.
Why this is correct
Triage is the first step to assess the incident's scope and urgency.
- ✗
Notify legal counsel and PR to prepare for potential data breach.
Why it's wrong here
Notification occurs after the incident is confirmed and prioritized.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 979 original 200-201 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.