CND Practice Question: Incident Detection Response And Threat Prediction
An incident responder in a Security Operations Center notices recurring failed login attempts followed by a successful root login on an SSH server. The administrator needs to identify the first phase of the incident response lifecycle according to NIST SP 800-61. Which action should be performed first?
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
✓
Analyze the log files to verify if an unauthorized breach has occurred
According to NIST SP 800-61, Preparation is the first phase, but when actively handling an event, the first operational phase of the incident response lifecycle is Detection and Analysis.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Analyze the log files to verify if an unauthorized breach has occurred
Why this is correct
Detection and Analysis is the initial operational phase where alerts are triaged and incidents are validated.
- ✗
Contain the compromised host to prevent lateral movement
Why it's wrong here
Containment occurs during the second operational phase after an incident has been confirmed and analyzed.
- ✗
Perform post-incident lessons learned activities
Why it's wrong here
Lessons learned is the final phase of the NIST incident response lifecycle.
- ✗
Eradicate the malware from the impacted SSH server
Why it's wrong here
Eradication takes place after containment and before recovery.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official EC-Council exam blueprint
This CND practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CND exam.