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.
An organization has just experienced a ransomware attack that encrypted files on several file servers. The incident response team has contained the incident. What is the next critical step?
Pay the ransom to recover data.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Encourages attackers and may not yield decryption.
Wipe the affected servers and reimage them.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Unnecessary if backups are available.
Notify law enforcement.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Important but not immediate recovery step.
Restore files from clean backups.
Correct: Efficient recovery without paying ransom.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Restore files from clean backups.
Option A is correct because restoring from clean backups is the most reliable recovery method. Paying ransom is discouraged; notifying law enforcement can come later; wiping servers may be too drastic if backups exist.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Pay the ransom to recover data.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Encourages attackers and may not yield decryption.
Wipe the affected servers and reimage them.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Unnecessary if backups are available.
Notify law enforcement.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Important but not immediate recovery step.
Restore files from clean backups.
Why this is correct
Correct: Efficient recovery without paying ransom.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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.
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FAQ
Incident Management — This question tests Incident Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Restore files from clean backups. — Option A is correct because restoring from clean backups is the most reliable recovery method. Paying ransom is discouraged; notifying law enforcement can come later; wiping servers may be too drastic if backups exist.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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