The correct answer is to restore from an older backup taken before the infection occurred. This is because ransomware often lies dormant before triggering, meaning the most recent backups may already contain encrypted or corrupted files; restoring from a point prior to the initial compromise ensures a clean data set. On the Certified Information Security Manager CISM exam, this scenario tests your understanding of backup integrity and recovery point objectives, emphasizing that a robust backup strategy must include immutable or offline copies to survive an active attack. A common trap is assuming the latest backup is always safe, but the key is to verify the backup’s “clean date” before the ransomware’s encryption timestamp. Remember the mnemonic: “Oldest clean, newest mean”—always go back to the last known safe snapshot.
CISM Incident Management Practice Question
This CISM practice question tests your understanding of incident management. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
A small marketing firm with 50 employees experiences a ransomware attack. The IT administrator quickly isolates the infected workstations by disconnecting them from the network. The company has a backup strategy that performs nightly backups to an on-premises NAS device. The administrator restores the affected systems from the most recent backup, but some files remain encrypted. The users report that the backups from the last two days show corruption as well. The firm does not have a formal incident response plan. The owner is anxious to get back to work and asks the administrator what to do next. What should the administrator do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Restore from an older backup taken before the infection
Restoring from an older backup (before the ransomware infection occurred) is the most likely way to get clean data. Paying the ransom is not recommended as it encourages attackers and there is no guarantee. Contacting law enforcement is a good step but not the immediate technical solution. Running an antivirus scan is insufficient for decryption.
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.
✓
Restore from an older backup taken before the infection
Why this is correct
Older backups are likely unencrypted and can be restored after verifying integrity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Contact law enforcement immediately
Why it's wrong here
Law enforcement should be contacted, but the priority is to restore operations using available clean backups.
✗
Pay the ransom to get the decryption key
Why it's wrong here
Paying ransom does not guarantee data recovery and supports criminal activities.
✗
Run a full antivirus scan on the restored systems
Why it's wrong here
Antivirus may detect but not decrypt files; clean backup restoration is needed.
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: Restore from an older backup taken before the infection — Restoring from an older backup (before the ransomware infection occurred) is the most likely way to get clean data. Paying the ransom is not recommended as it encourages attackers and there is no guarantee. Contacting law enforcement is a good step but not the immediate technical solution. Running an antivirus scan is insufficient for decryption.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
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 →
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. An organization has just experienced a ransomware attack that encrypted files on several file servers. The incident response team has contained the incident. What is the next critical step?
easy
A.Pay the ransom to recover data.
B.Wipe the affected servers and reimage them.
C.Notify law enforcement.
✓ D.Restore files from clean backups.
Why D: Option A is correct because restoring from clean backups is the most reliable recovery method. Paying ransom is discouraged; notifying law enforcement can come later; wiping servers may be too drastic if backups exist.
Variation 2. A company experiences ransomware that encrypts critical servers. Backups are available but were taken 2 weeks ago. What is the best course?
medium
A.Restore from backups immediately
✓ B.Restore from backups after verifying no residual malware and performing security scans
C.Rebuild servers from scratch
D.Pay the ransom
Why B: Restore from backups after verifying no residual malware and performing security scans to ensure clean restoration.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
Question Discussion
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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.
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