- A
Continue current mitigation efforts and reassess after another hour.
Why wrong: With only 1 hour left until MTD, waiting may exceed downtime limits.
- B
Increase the capacity of the DDoS mitigation service.
Why wrong: While possible, this may not be enough; BC/DR activation should be considered.
- C
Escalate to the crisis management team to consider activating the disaster recovery plan.
This allows for a timely decision to invoke BC/DR before MTD expires.
- D
Notify customers of a prolonged outage.
Why wrong: Customer notification is important but should follow BC/DR activation if needed.
Question 5 of 905
CISM Incident Management Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of incident management. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
An organization has experienced a DDoS attack that is overwhelming its internet-facing services. The incident response team has implemented mitigations, but services remain degraded. The maximum tolerable downtime (MTD) for the affected services is 4 hours, and 3 hours have passed. Which of the following should the incident manager do NEXT?
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
✓
Escalate to the crisis management team to consider activating the disaster recovery plan.
If an incident cannot be resolved within the MTD, it should transition to BC/DR activation. The decision authority (e.g., CISO or CMT) should declare a disaster.
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.
- ✗
Continue current mitigation efforts and reassess after another hour.
Why it's wrong here
With only 1 hour left until MTD, waiting may exceed downtime limits.
- ✗
Increase the capacity of the DDoS mitigation service.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, this may not be enough; BC/DR activation should be considered.
- ✓
Escalate to the crisis management team to consider activating the disaster recovery plan.
Why this is correct
This allows for a timely decision to invoke BC/DR before MTD expires.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Notify customers of a prolonged outage.
Why it's wrong here
Customer notification is important but should follow BC/DR activation if needed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
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: Escalate to the crisis management team to consider activating the disaster recovery plan. — If an incident cannot be resolved within the MTD, it should transition to BC/DR activation. The decision authority (e.g., CISO or CMT) should declare a disaster.
What should I do if I get this CISM question wrong?
Identify which CISM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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 →
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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