- A
Data breach
Why wrong: Data breach is confirmed only if data is exfiltrated; this is an access incident.
- B
Physical security
Why wrong: There is no physical security element.
- C
Account compromise
The key action is unauthorized use of credentials, which is account compromise.
- D
Insider threat
Why wrong: The scenario does not indicate the employee is an insider; credentials could be stolen by an external actor.
Question 284 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 security analyst discovers that an employee's credentials were used to access a sensitive database containing customer PII. The analyst immediately disables the account and begins remediation. Which incident category best describes this scenario?
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:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
✓
Account compromise
Option C is correct because the incident involves unauthorized use of legitimate credentials to access a sensitive database, which is the defining characteristic of an account compromise. The immediate disabling of the account and remediation aligns with standard incident response procedures for credential theft, where the attacker has gained authenticated access without authorization. This is distinct from a data breach, which focuses on the exfiltration or exposure of data, not the method of access.
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.
- ✗
Data breach
Why it's wrong here
Data breach is confirmed only if data is exfiltrated; this is an access incident.
- ✗
Physical security
Why it's wrong here
There is no physical security element.
- ✓
Account compromise
Why this is correct
The key action is unauthorized use of credentials, which is account compromise.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Insider threat
Why it's wrong here
The scenario does not indicate the employee is an insider; credentials could be stolen by an external actor.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the method of access (account compromise) with the outcome (data breach), but CISM distinguishes incidents by the root cause and attack vector, not just the potential impact.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
The scenario does not indicate the employee is an insider; credentials could be stolen by an external actor.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Account compromise often involves credential theft via phishing, keylogging, or password reuse attacks, where the attacker authenticates as a legitimate user via protocols like LDAP, Kerberos, or SAML. In this scenario, the security analyst's immediate account disablement prevents further lateral movement or data access, but forensic analysis of authentication logs (e.g., Windows Event ID 4625 for failed logons, 4624 for successful logons) would be critical to determine if the compromise originated from a known malicious IP or internal host. Real-world cases like the 2020 Twitter hack, where social engineering led to credential compromise of internal tools, illustrate how account compromise can bypass perimeter defenses and lead to data access without a traditional breach.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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.
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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: Account compromise — Option C is correct because the incident involves unauthorized use of legitimate credentials to access a sensitive database, which is the defining characteristic of an account compromise. The immediate disabling of the account and remediation aligns with standard incident response procedures for credential theft, where the attacker has gained authenticated access without authorization. This is distinct from a data breach, which focuses on the exfiltration or exposure of data, not the method of access.
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", "immediately / without restart". 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.
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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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