- A
Begin the eradication phase by immediately reimaging the workstation.
Why wrong: Reimaging is part of the eradication and recovery phases. It should only be performed after containment and after any necessary forensic data has been collected. Skipping containment could allow the threat to spread further.
- B
Isolate the workstation from the network to contain the threat.
Isolation is a key containment step. It stops the compromised workstation from communicating with the malicious IP and prevents lateral movement within the network, limiting potential damage.
- C
Conduct a full forensic analysis of the workstation's hard drive.
Why wrong: Forensic analysis is important for understanding the scope of the incident, but it typically occurs after containment. Performing analysis before containment may allow the threat to continue operating and causing harm.
- D
Update the firewall rule to block all outbound traffic to the malicious IP.
Why wrong: While updating a firewall rule can help block further connections to the malicious IP, it does not address the already compromised workstation, which may still be able to use other protocols or paths to communicate out. Isolating the workstation is more immediate and comprehensive.
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. A key principle to apply: containment is the second phase of the incident response process.. 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 receives an alert from the intrusion detection system indicating that a workstation in the finance department has established an outbound connection to a known malicious IP address using an encrypted protocol. The analyst verifies the alert and checks the user's activity logs, which show no legitimate business reason for the connection. According to the incident response process, what should the analyst do NEXT?
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
Isolate the workstation from the network to contain the threat.
According to the NIST SP 800-61 incident response process, containment is the immediate priority after verification to prevent further damage or data exfiltration. Since the workstation has an active encrypted outbound connection to a known malicious IP with no legitimate business reason, isolating the network interface (e.g., disabling the port, blocking the MAC address, or unplugging the cable) stops the threat from communicating while preserving the system state for later analysis. This aligns with the containment phase, which must precede eradication or full forensic analysis.
Key principle: Containment is the second phase of the incident response process.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Begin the eradication phase by immediately reimaging the workstation.
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging is part of the eradication and recovery phases. It should only be performed after containment and after any necessary forensic data has been collected. Skipping containment could allow the threat to spread further.
- ✓
Isolate the workstation from the network to contain the threat.
Why this is correct
Isolation is a key containment step. It stops the compromised workstation from communicating with the malicious IP and prevents lateral movement within the network, limiting potential damage.
Related concept
Containment is the second phase of the incident response process.
- ✗
Conduct a full forensic analysis of the workstation's hard drive.
Why it's wrong here
Forensic analysis is important for understanding the scope of the incident, but it typically occurs after containment. Performing analysis before containment may allow the threat to continue operating and causing harm.
- ✗
Update the firewall rule to block all outbound traffic to the malicious IP.
Why it's wrong here
While updating a firewall rule can help block further connections to the malicious IP, it does not address the already compromised workstation, which may still be able to use other protocols or paths to communicate out. Isolating the workstation is more immediate and comprehensive.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the order of the incident response phases (Preparation, Detection & Analysis, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, Post-Incident) and the trap here is that candidates jump to eradication or forensic analysis without first containing the active threat, which violates the fundamental priority of stopping the bleeding before cleaning up.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In practice, isolating a workstation can be done by disabling the switch port via SNMP or CLI (e.g., 'interface GigabitEthernet0/1; shutdown'), or by applying a block ACL on the next-hop firewall for the host's IP. The encrypted protocol (e.g., TLS on port 443) makes deep packet inspection difficult, so network-layer containment is critical to cut the command-and-control channel. Even if the connection is encrypted, the analyst should capture a memory dump before isolation if possible, but the immediate next step per incident response frameworks is still containment.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Containment is the second phase of the incident response process.
- Isolation prevents a compromised system from causing further damage or spreading malware.
- Containment actions should be swift and minimize disruption while preserving evidence.
- Network segmentation and host-based firewalls are tools for isolation.
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
Containment is the second phase of the incident response process.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review containment is the second phase of the incident response process., then practise related SY0-701 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Containment is the second phase of the incident response process..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Isolate the workstation from the network to contain the threat. — According to the NIST SP 800-61 incident response process, containment is the immediate priority after verification to prevent further damage or data exfiltration. Since the workstation has an active encrypted outbound connection to a known malicious IP with no legitimate business reason, isolating the network interface (e.g., disabling the port, blocking the MAC address, or unplugging the cable) stops the threat from communicating while preserving the system state for later analysis. This aligns with the containment phase, which must precede eradication or full forensic analysis.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Review containment is the second phase of the incident response process., then practise related SY0-701 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Containment is the second phase of the incident response process.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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