ISC2 CC Security Operations Practice Question
A configuration management tool detects that a critical server's security settings have changed from the approved baseline. What is the first action the security team should take?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is assuming immediate containment or remediation is always best; in reality, investigation must precede action to avoid disrupting business or destroying evidence.
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
✓
Investigate the root cause of the configuration change
The first action should be to investigate the root cause of the configuration change. This is because a configuration drift could be caused by a legitimate change (e.g., an approved patch) or a malicious act. Understanding the cause informs the appropriate response, whether to revert, isolate, or update the baseline. Isolating or reverting without investigation could disrupt business operations or destroy evidence.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Investigate the root cause of the configuration change
Why this is correct
Investigating the root cause first establishes what changed, who or what changed it, and whether it was malicious or accidental, before remediation. Restoring the baseline blindly could destroy forensic evidence or mask an ongoing compromise, so investigation precedes corrective action.
- ✗
Isolate the server from the network
Why it's wrong here
Isolating the server disrupts a critical production system before any investigation establishes whether the change is malicious or benign, causing unnecessary outage. Isolation is correct once analysis confirms an active compromise requiring containment, not as the immediate first response to detected drift.
- ✗
Automatically revert the settings to the baseline
Why it's wrong here
Automatically reverting changes the configuration before the team understands what altered it or whether the change was malicious, potentially destroying forensic evidence and masking an active compromise. Reversion is appropriate during routine drift remediation once the cause has been investigated and cleared.
- ✗
Update the baseline to match the current configuration
Why it's wrong here
Updating the baseline legitimises the altered settings without determining who changed them or why, potentially accepting a malicious or accidental weakening of security controls. Baseline updates are correct after a formally approved change, following review, not as a reaction to unexplained drift.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Security Operations Basics
Key term
Baseline
A baseline is a documented starting point for the normal performance and behavior of a system, network, or component, used to detect changes and troubleshoot issues.
Key term
Configuration drift
Configuration drift is the gradual, unplanned change in a system's configuration settings over time, causing it to deviate from its original or desired state.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISC2 exam blueprint
This CC practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CC exam.