The correct answer is to check if the source IP belongs to an internal asset and to review authentication logs from other servers for similar patterns. These two actions are essential because alert verification in incident response requires distinguishing between a genuine external threat and a misconfigured internal system, while correlation across multiple servers helps determine if the failed login attempts are part of a broader brute-force or password-spraying campaign. On the CISM exam, this tests your ability to apply the initial response phase of the incident response process, specifically scoping and validation before escalation. A common trap is jumping to containment or blocking the IP without first verifying ownership and lateral spread. Remember the memory tip: “Verify the source, then check the course” — confirm the IP’s origin, then look for the same pattern across other systems to gauge true scope.
CISM Incident Management Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of incident management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 reviews the following alert from the SIEM: 'Multiple failed login attempts from IP 10.0.0.5 to the domain controller within 5 minutes.' Which TWO actions should the analyst take as part of initial incident response?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Review authentication logs from other servers for similar patterns.
Option B is correct because reviewing authentication logs from other servers for similar patterns helps determine if the failed login attempts are part of a broader brute-force or password-spraying attack targeting multiple systems, not just the domain controller. This lateral analysis is a key initial step in incident response to assess the scope and identify compromised accounts or additional indicators of compromise (IoCs). Option E is correct because verifying whether the source IP belongs to an internal asset is critical to distinguish between an external attacker and a misconfigured internal service or user, which directly impacts the response strategy (e.g., internal remediation vs. external threat containment).
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.
✗
Block the IP address in the firewall immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking without confirmation may disrupt legitimate traffic.
✓
Review authentication logs from other servers for similar patterns.
Why this is correct
Correlation helps identify a broader attack.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Escalate the alert to the incident response team.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation may be needed but not the first two actions.
✗
Reset the password of the targeted account.
Why it's wrong here
Password reset is premature without confirming account compromise.
✓
Check if the source IP belongs to an internal asset.
Why this is correct
Determining the source helps assess the scope.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse immediate containment (blocking the IP) with proper triage, failing to recognize that validating the source IP's ownership and correlating logs across systems are essential first steps before any irreversible action is taken.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Windows Active Directory environments, failed login attempts generate Event ID 4625 (An account failed to log on), which includes fields such as 'Source Network Address' and 'Logon Type'. The analyst should correlate these events across multiple domain controllers and member servers using the source IP to detect a distributed brute-force attack. Additionally, checking if the source IP belongs to an internal asset involves querying DHCP logs, DNS records, or asset management databases to confirm ownership, as internal IPs can be spoofed only in specific scenarios (e.g., within the same subnet without proper segmentation).
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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 — 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: Review authentication logs from other servers for similar patterns. — Option B is correct because reviewing authentication logs from other servers for similar patterns helps determine if the failed login attempts are part of a broader brute-force or password-spraying attack targeting multiple systems, not just the domain controller. This lateral analysis is a key initial step in incident response to assess the scope and identify compromised accounts or additional indicators of compromise (IoCs). Option E is correct because verifying whether the source IP belongs to an internal asset is critical to distinguish between an external attacker and a misconfigured internal service or user, which directly impacts the response strategy (e.g., internal remediation vs. external threat containment).
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A security operations center (SOC) analyst receives an alert from the SIEM indicating a potential command and control (C2) communication. The alert is based on a signature that matches known C2 traffic. What is the MOST appropriate next step?
hard
A.Block the destination IP address at the firewall
B.Escalate the alert to the incident response team immediately
✓ C.Verify the alert by correlating with other log sources
D.Perform a full antivirus scan on all endpoints
Why C: Verifying the alert by checking other log sources (e.g., firewall, DNS) reduces false positives before escalating. Escalating immediately (A) may waste resources. Blocking the IP (C) could be premature if legitimate. Running a full antivirus scan (D) is a reactive, not investigative step.
Variation 2. 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?
easy
A.Perform a forensic analysis.
B.Escalate to senior management.
C.Isolate the server from the network.
✓ D.Verify the alert to confirm it is not a false positive.
Why D: Option C is correct because the first step in incident response is to verify the alert to avoid unnecessary response to false positives. Option A is wrong because isolation may be premature without verification. Option B is wrong because escalation should occur after confirmation. Option D is wrong because forensic analysis is done after containment.
Variation 3. Refer to the exhibit. An analyst sees this alert on the network. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
medium
A.Ignore the alert as it is likely false positive
✓ B.Investigate the source endpoint for compromise
C.Block the source IP 10.0.1.50
D.Block the destination IP 203.0.113.5
Why B: The source IP is internal, so the analyst should investigate the internal system for compromise.
Variation 4. A security operations center receives an alert from an IDS indicating possible command and control traffic. The analyst is unsure if it's a true positive. Which combination of actions should be taken first?
hard
A.Disable the IDS signature to prevent further alerts.
B.Immediately block the source IP and escalate to the incident response team.
C.Conduct a full forensic analysis of the affected host.
✓ D.Correlate the alert with firewall and proxy logs and review threat intelligence.
Why D: Option C is correct because correlating with other logs and threat intelligence helps validate the alert before taking potentially disruptive actions. Blocking prematurely may be a false positive; disabling signatures is dangerous; full forensics is premature.
Variation 5. A company's IDS alerts on a potential breach. The incident response team is called. What should they do immediately?
easy
✓ A.Verify the alert and assess scope
B.Disconnect all network cables
C.Notify law enforcement
D.Reimage affected systems
Why A: The first step is to verify the alert and assess the scope to determine if it's a true positive and understand the impact.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
Question Discussion
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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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