- A
Conduct a root cause analysis
Why wrong: RCA is a post-incident activity, not the first step.
- B
Disable compromised accounts and reset passwords
Containment is the immediate priority to stop further damage.
- C
Contact law enforcement
Why wrong: Law enforcement may be contacted later, but containment comes first.
- D
Notify affected users immediately
Why wrong: Notification should come after containment and investigation to avoid panic.
Question 690 of 905
CISM Incident Management Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of incident management. 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 company discovers a credential compromise affecting multiple user accounts. According to best practices, what is the first step the incident response team should take?
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
✓
Disable compromised accounts and reset passwords
When a credential compromise is discovered, the immediate priority is containment to prevent further unauthorized access. Disabling compromised accounts and resetting passwords (Option B) stops the attacker from using the stolen credentials, aligning with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle's containment phase. This action directly mitigates the active threat before any forensic analysis or notification occurs.
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.
- ✗
Conduct a root cause analysis
Why it's wrong here
RCA is a post-incident activity, not the first step.
- ✓
Disable compromised accounts and reset passwords
Why this is correct
Containment is the immediate priority to stop further damage.
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.
- ✗
Contact law enforcement
Why it's wrong here
Law enforcement may be contacted later, but containment comes first.
- ✗
Notify affected users immediately
Why it's wrong here
Notification should come after containment and investigation to avoid panic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that 'notify affected users' is the first step, but in incident management, containment (disabling accounts) always precedes notification to avoid alerting the adversary or causing operational chaos.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In practice, the incident response team should execute a 'kill switch' action, such as revoking session tokens and forcing password resets via Active Directory or an IAM system (e.g., disabling accounts in Azure AD or Okta). This aligns with the 'containment, eradication, and recovery' phase of the SANS PICERL model, where the priority is to stop the attack vector (e.g., compromised credentials) before it spreads. A real-world example is the 2020 SolarWinds breach, where delayed credential revocation allowed attackers to persist for months.
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 practitioner preparing for the CISM exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Incident Management — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISM question test?
Incident Management — This question tests Incident Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Disable compromised accounts and reset passwords — When a credential compromise is discovered, the immediate priority is containment to prevent further unauthorized access. Disabling compromised accounts and resetting passwords (Option B) stops the attacker from using the stolen credentials, aligning with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle's containment phase. This action directly mitigates the active threat before any forensic analysis or notification occurs.
What should I do if I get this CISM 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: Jul 4, 2026
This CISM practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA 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 CISM exam.
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