Quick Answer
Disconnecting an infected workstation from the network is the correct example of incident containment because it immediately isolates the compromised system, halting the spread of malware and preventing unauthorized lateral movement to other hosts. Containment is a critical step in the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle, focused strictly on limiting scope and impact before any eradication or recovery begins—it is not about investigation or remediation. On the Certified Information Security Manager CISM exam, this concept tests your ability to distinguish containment from other response phases like eradication or evidence collection; a common trap is confusing containment with remediation actions such as patching or scanning. Remember the memory tip: “Isolate before you eradicate”—containment is the firewall that stops the fire from spreading, not the hose that puts it out.
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 incident response plan includes a step to 'contain the incident.' Which of the following actions is an example of containment?
Disconnecting an infected workstation from the network
This prevents further propagation of malware.
Restoring data from backup
Why wrong: Restoration is part of recovery.
Analyzing log files to determine the attack vector
Why wrong: Analysis is part of investigation, not containment.
Removing malware from the system
Why wrong: Removing malware is eradication, which follows containment.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Disconnecting an infected workstation from the network
Disconnecting an infected workstation from the network is a classic containment action because it immediately isolates the compromised system, preventing the spread of malware or unauthorized lateral movement to other hosts. Containment focuses on limiting the scope and impact of an incident, not on remediation or investigation. This step aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle, where containment is performed before eradication and recovery.
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.
Disconnecting an infected workstation from the network
Why this is correct
This prevents further propagation of malware.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Restoring data from backup
Why it's wrong here
Restoration is part of recovery.
Analyzing log files to determine the attack vector
Why it's wrong here
Analysis is part of investigation, not containment.
Removing malware from the system
Why it's wrong here
Removing malware is eradication, which follows containment.
Common exam traps
ISACA often tests the distinction between containment, eradication, and recovery, and the trap here is that candidates mistake 'removing malware' (eradication) or 'restoring from backup' (recovery) for containment, because they focus on fixing the problem rather than stopping its spread first.
Detailed technical explanation
Containment often involves techniques such as disabling network interface cards (NICs), applying Access Control Lists (ACLs) on switches or firewalls to block the infected host's MAC or IP address, or using 802.1X Network Access Control (NAC) to quarantine the device. In a real-world ransomware scenario, failing to contain quickly can allow the malware to encrypt file shares and spread via SMB or RDP, turning a single-host incident into a domain-wide outage. The order of operations is critical: containment must precede eradication to avoid re-infection during cleanup.
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.
Incident Management — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Incident Management practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All CISM questions
500 questions across all exam domains
Certified Information Security Manager CISM study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
CISM practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CISM questions linked to Information Security Program.
Practise CISM questions linked to Information Security Risk Management.
Practise CISM questions linked to Information Security Governance.
Practise CISM questions linked to Incident Management.
Practise CISM questions linked to CISM fundamentals.
Practise CISM questions linked to CISM scenario.
Practise CISM questions linked to CISM troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Incident Management — This question tests Incident Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Disconnecting an infected workstation from the network — Disconnecting an infected workstation from the network is a classic containment action because it immediately isolates the compromised system, preventing the spread of malware or unauthorized lateral movement to other hosts. Containment focuses on limiting the scope and impact of an incident, not on remediation or investigation. This step aligns with the NIST SP 800-61 incident response lifecycle, where containment is performed before eradication and recovery.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which of the following is the PRIMARY goal of incident containment?
easyWhy D: Option C is correct because containment aims to prevent further damage and limit scope. Options A, B, D are goals of other phases.
Variation 2. Which TWO of the following are primary goals of the containment phase in incident response? (Select TWO)
easyWhy D: Correct: Limiting further damage (A) and preventing expansion (C) are containment goals. Eradication (B) is a separate phase. Preserving evidence (D) is important but not primary in containment, and restoring operations (E) is recovery.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.