- A
Reimage the workstation to remove any malware
Why wrong: Reimaging the workstation would destroy potential forensic evidence and is performed after evidence has been collected and analyzed. It is not the immediate next step.
- B
Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to collect evidence
After containment, forensic analysis is necessary to determine the cause and scope of the incident, preserve evidence, and inform further actions. This aligns with industry-standard incident response frameworks.
- C
Reset the user's password to prevent further unauthorized access
Why wrong: Resetting the user password may be part of recovery, but it does not help investigate the data exfiltration or identify the root cause. It is not the next step after containment.
- D
Notify law enforcement immediately
Why wrong: Law enforcement notification may be required later depending on the nature of the incident and organizational policy, but it is not the immediate next step. The priority is to investigate and gather evidence internally.
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 SOC analyst detects that a user's workstation is sending large volumes of data to an unusual external IP address during non-business hours. The analyst has already isolated the workstation by disconnecting it from the network. What is the NEXT step in the incident response process?
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
Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to collect evidence
After isolating the workstation, the next step in the incident response process is to perform forensic analysis to collect evidence. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 framework, where containment (isolation) is followed by eradication and recovery, but evidence collection must occur before any destructive actions like reimaging. The forensic analysis preserves volatile data (e.g., memory, network connections) and non-volatile data (e.g., disk artifacts) to determine the scope and cause of the data exfiltration.
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.
- ✗
Reimage the workstation to remove any malware
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging the workstation would destroy potential forensic evidence and is performed after evidence has been collected and analyzed. It is not the immediate next step.
- ✓
Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to collect evidence
Why this is correct
After containment, forensic analysis is necessary to determine the cause and scope of the incident, preserve evidence, and inform further actions. This aligns with industry-standard incident response frameworks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reset the user's password to prevent further unauthorized access
Why it's wrong here
Resetting the user password may be part of recovery, but it does not help investigate the data exfiltration or identify the root cause. It is not the next step after containment.
- ✗
Notify law enforcement immediately
Why it's wrong here
Law enforcement notification may be required later depending on the nature of the incident and organizational policy, but it is not the immediate next step. The priority is to investigate and gather evidence internally.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse containment with eradication, selecting reimaging (Option A) prematurely without recognizing that evidence preservation is a mandatory step before any destructive remediation in the incident response process.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Forensic analysis in this context often involves creating a bit-for-bit image of the workstation's hard drive using tools like dd or FTK Imager, and capturing volatile memory with tools like WinPmem or DumpIt to analyze running processes, network connections, and encryption keys. The unusual external IP address during non-business hours suggests a command-and-control (C2) channel or data exfiltration, which can be traced via netstat output, DNS cache entries, or firewall logs. A real-world scenario might involve the attacker using a custom protocol over a non-standard port (e.g., TCP 4444) to bypass egress filtering, requiring deep packet inspection during analysis.
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 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.
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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: Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to collect evidence — After isolating the workstation, the next step in the incident response process is to perform forensic analysis to collect evidence. This aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 framework, where containment (isolation) is followed by eradication and recovery, but evidence collection must occur before any destructive actions like reimaging. The forensic analysis preserves volatile data (e.g., memory, network connections) and non-volatile data (e.g., disk artifacts) to determine the scope and cause of the data exfiltration.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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