- A
Disconnect the workstation from the network
Correct. Disconnecting the network cable or disabling the network interface immediately stops the outbound communication and contains the threat, which is the primary goal in the containment phase of incident response.
- B
Run a full antivirus scan on the workstation
Why wrong: Incorrect. While a scan might detect malware, it does not stop the ongoing malicious traffic and could take significant time. The analyst should first contain the threat by isolating the workstation.
- C
Notify the user that their workstation may be compromised
Why wrong: Incorrect. Notifying the user is important for communication but should not be the immediate action because it delays containment. The user may also inadvertently tamper with evidence if informed prematurely.
- D
Check the firewall logs to confirm the destination IP
Why wrong: Incorrect. Checking logs is a valuable investigative step, but it should occur after containment. While logs are examined, the active connection continues to exfiltrate data or receive commands.
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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.
A security analyst detects repeated outbound traffic from a single workstation to an IP address listed on a public threat intelligence feed as a known command-and-control server. The user reports that the workstation is behaving slowly and that antivirus software is up to date. According to incident response best practices, what should the analyst do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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 workstation from the network
The correct first step is to disconnect the workstation from the network to immediately contain the threat and prevent further command-and-control (C2) communication. Since the traffic is already confirmed to a known C2 server via a public threat intelligence feed, the priority is to stop data exfiltration and potential lateral movement, not to gather more evidence or notify the user. Incident response best practices emphasize containment before eradication or notification to minimize damage.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 workstation from the network
Why this is correct
Correct. Disconnecting the network cable or disabling the network interface immediately stops the outbound communication and contains the threat, which is the primary goal in the containment phase of incident response.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Run a full antivirus scan on the workstation
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While a scan might detect malware, it does not stop the ongoing malicious traffic and could take significant time. The analyst should first contain the threat by isolating the workstation.
- ✗
Notify the user that their workstation may be compromised
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Notifying the user is important for communication but should not be the immediate action because it delays containment. The user may also inadvertently tamper with evidence if informed prematurely.
- ✗
Check the firewall logs to confirm the destination IP
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Checking logs is a valuable investigative step, but it should occur after containment. While logs are examined, the active connection continues to exfiltrate data or receive commands.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose to gather more evidence (Option D) or run a scan (Option B) first, forgetting that containment is the immediate priority once a live C2 connection is confirmed, per the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect. Checking logs is a valuable investigative step, but it should occur after containment. While logs are examined, the active connection continues to exfiltrate data or receive commands.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Command-and-control traffic often uses non-standard ports or encrypted channels (e.g., HTTPS on port 443, DNS tunneling, or custom TCP/UDP ports) to evade detection. Disconnecting the network cable or disabling the network interface card (NIC) at the OS level (e.g., `ipconfig /release` or `ifconfig down`) immediately breaks the TCP session and prevents the malware from receiving new instructions or exfiltrating data. In a real-world scenario, a delay of even a few seconds could allow the C2 server to push lateral movement commands or ransomware payloads.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Disconnect the workstation from the network — The correct first step is to disconnect the workstation from the network to immediately contain the threat and prevent further command-and-control (C2) communication. Since the traffic is already confirmed to a known C2 server via a public threat intelligence feed, the priority is to stop data exfiltration and potential lateral movement, not to gather more evidence or notify the user. Incident response best practices emphasize containment before eradication or notification to minimize damage.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "first". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SY0-701 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 SY0-701 exam.
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