easyMultiple Choice
CISM Practice Question: A security analyst receives an alert indicating a…
A security analyst receives an alert indicating a potential data exfiltration from a server. Which of the following should be the FIRST step in the incident response process?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to containment (isolating the server) as the first step, but the CISM framework emphasizes that verification must precede any response action to avoid acting on false positives.
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
✓
Verify the alert to confirm it is not a false positive.
The first step in the incident response process is to verify the alert to confirm it is not a false positive. Prematurely isolating the server or escalating without validation can disrupt legitimate operations and waste resources. Verification ensures that the incident response team acts on confirmed threats, aligning with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle's detection and analysis phase.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Perform a forensic analysis.
Why it's wrong here
Forensic analysis is a later, evidence-preservation phase that assumes the incident is confirmed and contained. Running it first on a live, possibly compromised server risks destroying volatile artefacts and lets ongoing exfiltration continue. It would be correct once triage confirms a real breach and scope is understood.
- ✗
Escalate to senior management.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation is a communication action, not containment or evidence handling; the analyst must first determine whether the alert is a genuine incident. Notification to management occurs once severity and scope are established, so escalating before triage wastes executive attention and may breach the response plan's defined thresholds.
- ✗
Isolate the server from the network.
Why it's wrong here
Isolation is a containment action, which follows detection and triage in the incident response lifecycle. Disconnecting the server immediately may halt business services and destroy volatile evidence before the analyst confirms the alert is genuine. It would be correct once triage validates an active exfiltration and containment is authorised.
- ✓
Verify the alert to confirm it is not a false positive.
Why this is correct
Verifying the alert establishes whether the exfiltration signal is genuine before committing resources, satisfying the first-step constraint of the incident response lifecycle. Confirming the true-positive status prevents wasted effort on false alarms and directs subsequent containment decisions.
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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.