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CS0-003 Practice Question: During a ransomware attack, several workstations…
During a ransomware attack, several workstations have been encrypted. The incident response team has identified the ransomware variant and determined it does not have a known decryption tool. Which containment strategy is MOST appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that immediate power-off is best for safety, but the trap here is that preserving volatile memory for forensic analysis is prioritized over a simple shutdown, especially when no decryption tool exists and evidence may lead to key recovery.
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
✓
Disconnect the affected workstations from the network, but leave them powered on.
Disconnecting the affected workstations from the network (but leaving them powered on) preserves volatile evidence in memory (e.g., encryption keys, process artifacts) and prevents the ransomware from spreading to other hosts via SMB, RDP, or other lateral movement protocols. Powering off would destroy this critical forensic data, while leaving them connected risks further encryption of network shares.
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 affected workstations from the network, but leave them powered on.
Why this is correct
Disconnecting the affected workstations from the network immediately halts the ransomware's ability to spread laterally to other systems and prevents communication with command-and-control servers. Leaving them powered on is critical for preserving volatile memory, which contains invaluable forensic artifacts like running processes, network connections, and decrypted malware components essential for root cause analysis and indicator extraction.
- ✗
Power off all affected workstations immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Powering off affected workstations immediately destroys all volatile data residing in RAM, including active network connections, running processes, and temporary files crucial for understanding the ransomware's execution path and initial compromise vector. This action eradicates critical forensic evidence that could reveal the attacker's methods, making it significantly harder to conduct a thorough investigation and implement effective preventative measures.
- ✗
Run a full antivirus scan on the affected workstations.
Why it's wrong here
Running a full antivirus scan on compromised workstations can inadvertently modify or delete critical forensic evidence, such as malware samples, log files, and registry entries, before they can be properly analyzed. Furthermore, antivirus software may not fully detect or remediate advanced ransomware variants, potentially leaving remnants that could hinder recovery efforts or provide a false sense of security while altering the 'crime scene'.
- ✗
Restore all affected workstations from backups immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Restoring affected workstations from backups immediately, without first identifying and eradicating the root cause of the infection, creates a high risk of re-infection. This premature action bypasses essential containment and eradication steps, failing to address the underlying vulnerability or attack vector that allowed the ransomware to initially compromise the systems, thus making the recovery effort futile and potentially spreading the threat further.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Traffic Analysis
Key term
Lateral movement
Lateral movement is the technique attackers use to move through a network from one compromised system to another, seeking sensitive data or higher privileges.
Key term
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts a victim's files or locks them out of their system, demanding payment, usually in cryptocurrency, to restore access.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CS0-004 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 CS0-004 exam.