This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of incident response and management. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which THREE of the following are common containment techniques used during incident response?
Disconnect the network cable
Immediate isolation of a host.
Shut down the system
Why wrong: Shutting down can destroy volatile evidence.
Reimage the system
Why wrong: Reimaging is part of eradication/recovery, not containment.
Block IP addresses at the firewall
Stops network-level communication.
Change passwords for compromised accounts
Prevents further unauthorized access.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Disconnect the network cable
Disconnecting the network cable is a common containment technique because it immediately isolates the affected system from the network, preventing the spread of malware or unauthorized access. This physical disconnection ensures that no further network-based communication can occur, which is critical for containing incidents like ransomware or data exfiltration. It is a rapid, low-level action that does not rely on software or OS controls, making it effective even if the system is compromised.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Disconnect the network cable
Why this is correct
Immediate isolation of a host.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Shut down the system
Why it's wrong here
Shutting down can destroy volatile evidence.
Reimage the system
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging is part of eradication/recovery, not containment.
Block IP addresses at the firewall
Why this is correct
Stops network-level communication.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Change passwords for compromised accounts
Why this is correct
Prevents further unauthorized access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the distinction between containment, eradication, and recovery phases, so the trap here is confusing actions like shutting down or reimaging (which belong to later phases) with true containment techniques that isolate the threat without destroying evidence.
Detailed technical explanation
Containment techniques focus on stopping the incident from spreading while preserving evidence for forensic analysis. Disconnecting the network cable operates at Layer 1 of the OSI model, bypassing any software-based controls that might be subverted by malware. In contrast, blocking IP addresses at the firewall (Option D) is a Layer 3/4 containment technique that can be applied remotely to multiple systems, and changing passwords (Option E) is a user-level containment action to prevent further unauthorized access via compromised credentials.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
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FAQ
Incident Response and Management — This question tests Incident Response and Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Disconnect the network cable — Disconnecting the network cable is a common containment technique because it immediately isolates the affected system from the network, preventing the spread of malware or unauthorized access. This physical disconnection ensures that no further network-based communication can occur, which is critical for containing incidents like ransomware or data exfiltration. It is a rapid, low-level action that does not rely on software or OS controls, making it effective even if the system is compromised.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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