The correct first action is to block the source IP by creating a firewall rule. This is the immediate response because the firewall log confirms the traffic was allowed, while the SIEM alert signals a security event; according to the security policy, the priority is to stop the active threat at the network edge before conducting deeper analysis. On the Cisco CyberOps Associate 200-201 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the containment phase in incident response—specifically, that blocking the source IP is a swift, reversible action that prevents further malicious traffic without disrupting the entire network. A common trap is to jump to isolating the host or analyzing logs first, but the policy-driven first action is always to cut off the attacker’s access. Remember the mnemonic “Block First, Ask Later” to reinforce that containment precedes investigation in a live incident.
200-201 Security Policies and Procedures Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security policies and procedures. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```
! Threat Alert from SIEM
Event: Multiple failed logins from IP 10.0.0.5
Time: 2025-03-15 14:32:00
User: admin
Source IP: 10.0.0.5
Destination: 192.168.1.100 (SSH)
Count: 50 in 5 minutes
! Firewall Log
2025-03-15 14:35:00, ALLOW, TCP, 10.0.0.5:54321, 192.168.1.100:22, 100 bytes
```
Refer to the exhibit. A security analyst observes a SIEM alert and a firewall log. The firewall allowed the traffic. According to the company's security policy, which action should the analyst take 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
✓
Create a firewall rule to block the source IP.
The correct answer is D because the firewall log shows the traffic was allowed, and the SIEM alert indicates a security event. According to the security policy, the immediate action is to block the source IP to prevent further potential malicious activity. Creating a firewall rule to block the source IP is a direct and effective response to mitigate the threat.
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.
✗
Check if the firewall blocked the traffic.
Why it's wrong here
The firewall log shows ALLOW, so it did not block.
✗
Investigate the user's recent activity.
Why it's wrong here
Containment should come first; investigation can follow.
✗
Ignore the alert as it is a false positive.
Why it's wrong here
50 failed logins in 5 minutes is a clear brute-force attempt.
✓
Create a firewall rule to block the source IP.
Why this is correct
Immediate containment by blocking the IP is appropriate.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the candidate's ability to prioritize containment over investigation, leading them to mistakenly choose 'investigate the user's recent activity' instead of immediately blocking the malicious source IP.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The firewall log shows ALLOW, so it did not block.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a typical SOC workflow, when a SIEM alert correlates with a firewall log showing allowed traffic, the analyst must act quickly to contain the threat. Creating a firewall rule to block the source IP is a standard containment measure that can be implemented immediately, often using ACLs or dynamic block lists. This aligns with the NIST incident response framework's containment phase, which prioritizes stopping the attack before further investigation.
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: Create a firewall rule to block the source IP. — The correct answer is D because the firewall log shows the traffic was allowed, and the SIEM alert indicates a security event. According to the security policy, the immediate action is to block the source IP to prevent further potential malicious activity. Creating a firewall rule to block the source IP is a direct and effective response to mitigate the threat.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security analyst receives an alert that an employee's workstation is generating outbound traffic to a known malware command-and-control IP address at 3:00 AM. According to the company's incident response policy, what is the FIRST action the analyst should take?
easy
✓ A.Isolate the workstation from the network by disabling the switch port.
B.Reimage the workstation immediately to remove the malware.
C.Apply the latest security patches to the workstation.
D.Call the employee to ask if they are working late.
Why A: The first action is to isolate the workstation from the network by disabling the switch port. This immediately stops the outbound command-and-control (C2) traffic, preventing data exfiltration and further compromise, while preserving the system state for forensic analysis. According to the incident response policy, containment takes precedence over eradication or recovery to limit damage.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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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.
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