Question 139 of 144
SK0-005 security-disaster-recovery Practice Question
A system administrator notices unusual file encryption activity on a file server. The activity appears to be rapidly spreading to other servers, and ransom notes are appearing. Which of the following should the administrator do 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
✓
Disconnect the affected servers from the network
Option B is correct because the immediate priority in a ransomware outbreak is to contain the threat by disconnecting affected systems from the network, preventing further lateral movement and encryption of additional assets. Restoring from backup (Option A) is a recovery step that should occur after containment. Notifying law enforcement (Option C) is important but secondary to stopping the spread. Running an antivirus scan (Option D) may be ineffective on already encrypted systems and wastes time that should be spent on containment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Notify law enforcement
Why it's wrong here
While notification may be required, it is not the first technical action; containment takes precedence to limit damage.
- ✗
Run antivirus scan on the affected servers
Why it's wrong here
Antivirus scans are part of the remediation phase but are not urgent compared to stopping the active spread; the malicious process may already be beyond AV detection.
- ✓
Disconnect the affected servers from the network
Why this is correct
Immediate isolation is the first step in incident response to contain the damage and prevent the ransomware from spreading to other systems.
- ✗
Restore the encrypted files from backup
Why it's wrong here
Restoring files without first isolating infected systems may reintroduce malware or lead to continued encryption if the threat persists.
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Last reviewed: Jul 26, 2026
This SK0-005 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 SK0-005 exam.
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