hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISM Practice Question: During a data breach investigation, the team…
During a data breach investigation, the team discovers that an attacker exfiltrated data via encrypted HTTPS to a server abroad. Which forensic step is most critical?
⚠ Common exam trap
The CISM exam often tests the misconception that the server's private key can decrypt all HTTPS traffic, but in modern TLS with forward secrecy, the private key only decrypts the handshake, not the session data.
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
✓
Capture memory from the endpoint to find encryption keys
Capturing memory from the endpoint is the most critical step because encryption keys for HTTPS sessions are often stored in plaintext within the process memory of the web browser or application (e.g., in the TLS master secret). Without these keys, the encrypted traffic captured on the wire cannot be decrypted, making memory forensics essential to recover the plaintext data exfiltrated by the attacker.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Capture memory from the endpoint to find encryption keys
Why this is correct
Correct: Memory may contain the symmetric keys used for the HTTPS session.
- ✗
Analyze firewall logs for the connection
Why it's wrong here
Firewall logs show metadata but not the exfiltrated content.
- ✗
Decrypt the traffic using the server's private key
Why it's wrong here
The server's private key is not available to the investigator.
- ✗
Trace the IP address to identify the attacker
Why it's wrong here
IP tracing is difficult and may not yield usable evidence.
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One of 871 original CISM practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. 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.