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.
During an incident, the response team collects volatile data from a compromised server. Which of the following should be collected FIRST to minimize loss of evidence?
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.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Contents of RAM
RAM is volatile and will be lost if the system is powered off.
Contents of hard drive
Why wrong: Hard drive data is non-volatile and can be collected later.
Event logs
Why wrong: Event logs are stored on disk and are less volatile.
Network configuration
Why wrong: Network config can be obtained from backup or reconfigured.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Contents of RAM
Volatile data, such as the contents of RAM, is lost when a system is powered off. The first priority during incident response is to capture this data because it contains running processes, network connections, encryption keys, and malware that exist only in memory. Collecting RAM first ensures that this critical evidence is preserved before any other actions that might alter the system state.
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.
Contents of RAM
Why this is correct
RAM is volatile and will be lost if the system is powered off.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "first", "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Contents of hard drive
Why it's wrong here
Hard drive data is non-volatile and can be collected later.
Event logs
Why it's wrong here
Event logs are stored on disk and are less volatile.
Network configuration
Why it's wrong here
Network config can be obtained from backup or reconfigured.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the order of volatility (OOV) principle, mistakenly prioritizing non-volatile data like event logs or disk contents because they seem more stable, but the exam tests the understanding that volatile data must be captured first to prevent its permanent loss.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, RAM contains data structures like the process list, ARP cache, and open network sockets that are critical for identifying active attacks. Tools like FTK Imager or LiME (Linux Memory Extractor) are used to capture memory without altering the system state. In a real-world scenario, failing to capture RAM first could result in losing the decryption keys for a ransomware attack, making recovery impossible.
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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: Contents of RAM — Volatile data, such as the contents of RAM, is lost when a system is powered off. The first priority during incident response is to capture this data because it contains running processes, network connections, encryption keys, and malware that exist only in memory. Collecting RAM first ensures that this critical evidence is preserved before any other actions that might alter the system state.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first", "minimum / minimize". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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