easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
ISC2 CC Practice Question: That they received a suspicious email with an…
A user reports that they received a suspicious email with an attachment claiming to be an invoice. What should the user do?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the misconception that deleting a suspicious email is sufficient, but the correct incident response procedure requires preserving evidence and reporting to the security team for analysis and containment.
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
✓
Report the email to the security team without opening the attachment
The user should immediately report the suspicious email to the security team without opening the attachment. Opening the attachment could trigger a malicious payload, such as a macro-enabled document or executable, that exploits vulnerabilities in the email client or operating system. The security team can analyze the email headers, attachment hash, and sender domain using tools like sandboxing or threat intelligence feeds to determine if it is a phishing attempt or malware delivery.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Report the email to the security team without opening the attachment
Why this is correct
This allows security to investigate safely.
- ✗
Reply to the email and ask for confirmation
Why it's wrong here
Replying may confirm to the attacker that the address is active.
- ✗
Delete the email immediately
Why it's wrong here
Deleting may lose evidence needed for investigation.
- ✗
Open the attachment to check what it contains
Why it's wrong here
Opening could trigger malware; this is unsafe.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to Security Principles
Key term
Malware
Malware is any software intentionally designed to cause damage, disrupt operations, steal data, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems.
Key term
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyber attack where criminals impersonate legitimate organizations or individuals to trick victims into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data.
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This CC question is part of Courseiva's 976-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.