Incident Response Containment Phase
A security analyst receives an alert of unusual network traffic from an internal host to an external IP known for command-and-control. After isolating the host, what should be the next step?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the misconception that immediate containment (like wiping or reimaging) is the priority, but the trap here is that the CC exam emphasizes the incident response process order: isolate, then preserve evidence, then analyze, then remediate — skipping evidence preservation violates standard forensic procedures.
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
✓
Preserve forensic evidence and analyze
Preserving forensic evidence and analyzing the host is the correct next step because incident response methodology (e.g., NIST SP 800-61) requires containment followed by evidence collection and analysis to determine the scope of compromise, identify indicators of compromise (IOCs), and understand the attack vector. Wiping or reimaging destroys volatile data (e.g., memory, running processes, network connections) and artifacts (e.g., registry keys, prefetch files, event logs) that are critical for attribution and remediation. Analysis may involve memory forensics (using tools like Volatility) and disk forensics to extract malware samples, C2 communication logs, and lateral movement traces.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Wipe the host and reinstall OS
Why it's wrong here
Wiping and reinstalling destroys volatile evidence — memory artefacts, running processes and active connections — needed to determine how the host was compromised. Rebuilding is correct after forensic capture and root-cause analysis, not as the immediate step following isolation.
- ✓
Preserve forensic evidence and analyze
Why this is correct
Preserving volatile memory and disk artefacts captures command-and-control indicators, persistence mechanisms and lateral-movement evidence before remediation destroys them. This satisfies the stem's sequencing constraint: after containment, evidence collection must precede eradication, otherwise attribution and scope assessment become impossible.
- ✗
Reimage the host from backup
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging from backup restores the host but destroys volatile evidence such as memory-resident malware, running processes and network connections before forensic analysis. Reimaging is the correct remediation step once evidence is captured and the cause is understood, not immediately after isolation.
- ✗
Notify law enforcement
Why it's wrong here
Notifying law enforcement is an external escalation step, not the immediate investigative action; the analyst must first determine scope and command-and-control details internally. Law enforcement involvement becomes appropriate once the incident is confirmed and contained, and organisational policy requires it.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Secure Network Architecture and Design
Key term
Event
An event is any identifiable occurrence or action in a computer system, network, or application that can be logged, monitored, or analyzed for security or operational purposes.
Key term
Attack vector
An attack vector is the specific path or method a cyber attacker uses to gain unauthorized access to a computer system or network.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.