easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISM Incident Response Phases Practice Question
A security analyst detects a potential data exfiltration from a critical server. According to incident response best practices, what is the first action the analyst should take?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that candidates may default to containment as the first step, but when the incident is only 'potential', verification (e.g., log review) is the correct first action per CISM best practices.
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
✓
Review firewall logs to confirm the exfiltration.
When a potential data exfiltration is detected but not confirmed, incident response best practices prioritize verification before containment. Immediate disconnection (Option A) could cause unnecessary disruption, alert the attacker, or destroy evidence. The first step is to review firewall logs (Option C) to determine if exfiltration is actually occurring, then proceed with containment and other actions accordingly.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disconnect the server from the network immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Disconnecting immediately for a potential exfiltration can disrupt operations, alert the attacker, and may be premature if the exfiltration is not confirmed.
- ✗
Notify the incident response manager.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Notification is important but should occur after the incident is confirmed, not as the first step.
- ✓
Review firewall logs to confirm the exfiltration.
Why this is correct
Correct. Reviewing firewall logs helps verify whether data exfiltration is actually occurring, ensuring the response is appropriate and minimizing unnecessary disruption.
- ✗
Take a forensic image of the server.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Taking a forensic image is a preservation step that occurs after confirmation and containment, not as the first action.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CISM question from scratch — 871 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.