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 TWO of the following are key phases of the incident response process as defined by NIST?
Recovery
Why wrong: Part of the third phase.
Containment
Why wrong: Part of the third phase, but not a separate main phase.
Preparation
One of the four main phases.
Eradication
Why wrong: Part of the third phase.
Post-Incident Activity
One of the four main phases.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Preparation
The NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2 incident response lifecycle consists of four key phases: Preparation, Detection & Analysis, Containment/Eradication/Recovery, and Post-Incident Activity. Option C (Preparation) is correct because it is the foundational phase where policies, tools (e.g., SIEM, EDR), and communication plans are established before any incident occurs. Option E (Post-Incident Activity) is correct because it includes lessons learned, evidence retention, and report generation to improve future response efforts.
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.
Recovery
Why it's wrong here
Part of the third phase.
Containment
Why it's wrong here
Part of the third phase, but not a separate main phase.
Preparation
Why this is correct
One of the four main phases.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Eradication
Why it's wrong here
Part of the third phase.
Post-Incident Activity
Why this is correct
One of the four main phases.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between the four key NIST phases and the sub-steps within the third phase, causing candidates to mistakenly select Containment, Eradication, or Recovery as separate key phases instead of recognizing they are combined.
Detailed technical explanation
NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2 defines the incident response lifecycle as a continuous loop of four phases: Preparation, Detection & Analysis, Containment/Eradication/Recovery, and Post-Incident Activity. The third phase is intentionally grouped because containment, eradication, and recovery often overlap—for example, isolating a compromised host (containment) may involve removing malware (eradication) and restoring from a clean backup (recovery) simultaneously. In real-world scenarios, failing to treat these as a unified step can lead to premature eradication before full forensic evidence is collected, compromising legal admissibility.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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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: Preparation — The NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2 incident response lifecycle consists of four key phases: Preparation, Detection & Analysis, Containment/Eradication/Recovery, and Post-Incident Activity. Option C (Preparation) is correct because it is the foundational phase where policies, tools (e.g., SIEM, EDR), and communication plans are established before any incident occurs. Option E (Post-Incident Activity) is correct because it includes lessons learned, evidence retention, and report generation to improve future response efforts.
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 25, 2026
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