The answer is to verify whether the activity is legitimate. This is the correct first step because a failed login attack, even one occurring every few seconds from an internal IP, could be caused by a misconfigured service account, a scheduled script, or a user forgetting their password—not necessarily a malicious actor. Jumping to containment or blocking the IP without verification risks a false positive that could disrupt critical business operations. On the Certified Information Management CISM exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the “verify before act” principle in incident response, a common trap where candidates choose “block the IP” or “disable the account” too quickly. The exam emphasizes that context—such as whether the database server is undergoing maintenance—must be established first to avoid unnecessary downtime. Remember the mnemonic: “Verify, then Veto”—always confirm the threat before taking action.
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.
An organization's security monitoring system detects multiple failed login attempts from an internal IP address to a critical database server. The attempts are occurring every few seconds. What is the FIRST step the incident response team should take?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Verify whether the activity is legitimate.
The first step is to verify if the activity is legitimate or malicious to avoid false positives and understand the context.
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 at the firewall immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking without verification could disrupt legitimate access and does not address root cause.
✗
Disable the database server to prevent data breach.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the server is too drastic and may impact business operations.
✓
Verify whether the activity is legitimate.
Why this is correct
Verification prevents unnecessary actions and confirms the incident.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reset the password of the database service account.
Why it's wrong here
Resetting the password may stop attacks but does not identify the source or intent.
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.
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 — 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: Verify whether the activity is legitimate. — The first step is to verify if the activity is legitimate or malicious to avoid false positives and understand the context.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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