hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CAS-004 Practice Question: A SOC analyst notices that a containerized…
A SOC analyst notices that a containerized application is making unexpected outbound connections. The container runs with minimal privileges. Which step should the analyst take first to investigate without compromising the environment?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose to kill or exec into the container (options B or C) because they assume immediate containment or interactive access is necessary, but the exam tests the understanding that passive network monitoring from the host is the safest and most forensically sound first step.
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 a network packet dump from the host and correlate with container logs.
Capturing a network packet dump from the host allows the analyst to observe the unexpected outbound connections without altering the container's state or risking privilege escalation. By correlating the packet capture (e.g., using tcpdump or Wireshark) with container logs, the analyst can identify the destination IPs, ports, and protocols involved while maintaining the container's minimal privileges and preserving forensic integrity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Restore the container from a trusted image and re-deploy.
Why it's wrong here
Re-deploying without investigation misses the opportunity to understand the incident.
- ✗
Use `docker exec` to attach a shell and run network diagnostic commands.
Why it's wrong here
Attaching a shell could alter the container state and alert an attacker.
- ✗
Immediately kill the container and analyze its filesystem from a backup.
Why it's wrong here
Killing the container may destroy volatile evidence.
- ✓
Capture a network packet dump from the host and correlate with container logs.
Why this is correct
This approach gathers evidence without interfering with the container.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-005 exam.