- A
Incident response playbook
Playbooks contain detailed, step-by-step procedures for specific incident types.
- B
Communication templates
Why wrong: Communication templates are for stakeholder notifications, not technical actions.
- C
Incident response policy
Why wrong: The policy defines high-level objectives, not technical steps.
- D
Incident response plan
Why wrong: The plan outlines the overall approach and team structure, not specific technical actions.
Question 398 of 905
CISM Incident Management Practice Question
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.
Which component of an incident response program is most likely to include step-by-step technical actions for addressing a specific type of security incident?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
✓
Incident response playbook
An incident response playbook provides detailed, step-by-step technical procedures for handling specific incident types (e.g., ransomware, DDoS, phishing). Unlike higher-level documents, playbooks contain actionable commands, tool-specific instructions, and decision trees that guide responders through containment, eradication, and recovery. This granularity ensures consistent and efficient execution during an active security event.
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.
- ✓
Incident response playbook
Why this is correct
Playbooks contain detailed, step-by-step procedures for specific incident types.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Communication templates
Why it's wrong here
Communication templates are for stakeholder notifications, not technical actions.
- ✗
Incident response policy
Why it's wrong here
The policy defines high-level objectives, not technical steps.
- ✗
Incident response plan
Why it's wrong here
The plan outlines the overall approach and team structure, not specific technical actions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between a plan (strategic, high-level) and a playbook (tactical, step-by-step), causing candidates to mistakenly choose the incident response plan because it sounds more comprehensive.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Playbooks often integrate with SOAR platforms to automate actions like isolating a host via API calls (e.g., using EDR tools like CrowdStrike or SentinelOne) or blocking indicators of compromise (IOCs) at the firewall. They may reference specific log sources (e.g., Windows Event ID 4625 for brute-force attempts) and include commands such as `reg delete` to remove persistence mechanisms. In a real-world scenario, a playbook for a ransomware outbreak would detail steps like disabling SMBv1, killing specific processes, and restoring from immutable backups.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISM question test?
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: Incident response playbook — An incident response playbook provides detailed, step-by-step technical procedures for handling specific incident types (e.g., ransomware, DDoS, phishing). Unlike higher-level documents, playbooks contain actionable commands, tool-specific instructions, and decision trees that guide responders through containment, eradication, and recovery. This granularity ensures consistent and efficient execution during an active security event.
What should I do if I get this CISM question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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