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CISM Suspects a data breach Practice Question
An organization suspects a data breach. Which two actions should the incident response team take before notifying affected customers? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common pitfall in the CISM exam is that candidates often prioritize immediate notification over the necessary steps of confirming the breach and assessing its impact. They may incorrectly select root cause analysis or legal consultation as the first actions before confirmation.
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
✓
Confirm that the breach actually occurred.
The incident response team must first confirm that a breach actually occurred before taking any further action, including notification. Premature notification without confirmation can lead to false alarms, legal liability, and reputational damage. Confirmation involves verifying indicators of compromise (IoCs) through log analysis, forensic evidence, and chain-of-custody procedures.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Determine the root cause of the breach.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Can be done after notification.
- ✓
Confirm that the breach actually occurred.
Why this is correct
Correct: Essential before any notification.
- ✗
Implement full remediation.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Remediation may take time.
- ✗
Consult with legal counsel regarding notification obligations.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Important but not a prerequisite for initial notification; often done concurrently.
- ✓
Assess the impact on affected individuals.
Why this is correct
Correct: Needed to inform customers accurately.
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This CISM question is part of Courseiva's 871-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.