CS0-003 Reporting and Communication Practice Question
During an incident response, the SOC team identifies a data breach involving customer PII. Under GDPR, what is the maximum time frame to notify the supervisory authority?
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
✓
72 hours
GDPR Article 33 requires notification within 72 hours of becoming aware of a personal data breach.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
96 hours
Why it's wrong here
96 hours exceeds the maximum notification window mandated by GDPR Article 33, which requires controllers to notify the supervisory authority of a personal data breach 'without undue delay' and, where feasible, within 72 hours of becoming aware of it. Waiting 96 hours would place the organization in clear non-compliance, as the 72-hour period is a hard cap, not a recommended target.
- ✓
72 hours
Why this is correct
72 hours is the correct timeframe under GDPR Article 33(1), which states that a data breach notification must be made to the competent supervisory authority 'without undue delay' and, where feasible, no later than 72 hours after the controller becomes aware of the breach. This period is a fixed regulatory deadline, and failure to meet it without a documented justification (e.g., complexity of investigation) can result in significant administrative fines.
- ✗
24 hours
Why it's wrong here
24 hours is shorter than the GDPR's 72-hour notification window, but selecting this option implies that notification must occur within one day, which is not required by Article 33. The regulation explicitly sets 72 hours as the maximum, not 24, and imposes no strict 24-hour obligation, so treating 24 hours as the rule would be an overstatement of the legal requirement and could lead to unnecessary rushed notifications.
- ✗
48 hours
Why it's wrong here
48 hours is less than the 72-hour deadline, but it is not the correct answer because GDPR Article 33 specifies 72 hours as the permissible maximum for breach notification. Choosing 48 hours would be arbitrary; while notifying within 48 hours would satisfy the regulation, the exact legal threshold is 72 hours, and any answer other than 72 fails to reflect the precise statutory requirement.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Endpoint Detection and Response
Key term
General Data Protection Regulation
A European Union law that gives individuals control over their personal data and sets strict rules for how organizations collect, store, and process that data.
Key term
Incident
An incident is a security event that violates an organization's policies or threatens its data, systems, or operations, requiring a structured response.
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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.