Quick Answer
The correct answer is to schedule a maintenance window. This is because critical vulnerability remediation must follow a structured process to apply patches or mitigations without causing unplanned downtime or introducing new issues, allowing for controlled testing and rollback if needed. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this question tests your understanding of vulnerability management best practices, where the trap is confusing immediate action with reckless action—disabling the server or patching during business hours are extreme or disruptive steps reserved for active exploitation scenarios. A strong memory tip is “Patch with a plan, not a panic,” reminding you that even urgent fixes require a scheduled window to balance security with operational stability.
This CC practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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.
During a vulnerability scan, the security team discovers a critical vulnerability on a public-facing server. According to best practices, what should the team do next?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Disable the server
Why wrong: Disabling without business impact analysis is overly aggressive.
Remediate immediately during business hours
Why wrong: Immediate action may cause unplanned downtime.
Inform all users
Why wrong: Notifying all users is not a standard response step.
Schedule a maintenance window
Scheduling a maintenance window allows for planned and tested remediation.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Schedule a maintenance window
Option D is correct because, according to vulnerability management best practices, the first step after discovering a critical vulnerability is to schedule a maintenance window to apply a patch or mitigation in a controlled manner. This minimizes service disruption and allows for testing, ensuring the fix does not introduce new issues. Immediate remediation during business hours (Option B) could cause downtime or impact users, while disabling the server (Option A) is an extreme measure reserved for active exploitation with no available patch.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Disable the server
Why it's wrong here
Disabling without business impact analysis is overly aggressive.
Remediate immediately during business hours
Why it's wrong here
Immediate action may cause unplanned downtime.
Inform all users
Why it's wrong here
Notifying all users is not a standard response step.
Schedule a maintenance window
Why this is correct
Scheduling a maintenance window allows for planned and tested remediation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the misconception that 'critical' means 'act immediately without planning,' leading candidates to choose Option B, but the correct approach is to balance urgency with change control to avoid operational disruption.
Detailed technical explanation
Vulnerability management frameworks like NIST SP 800-40 or ISO 27001 emphasize a risk-based approach: after discovery, the team should assess the CVSS score, exploitability, and business impact before scheduling remediation. For example, a critical vulnerability like CVE-2021-44228 (Log4Shell) on a public-facing server would require immediate patching but within a maintenance window to coordinate with load balancers and failover systems, ensuring no single point of failure. The window allows for rollback procedures and validation scans to confirm the vulnerability is resolved without breaking dependent services.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
What to study next
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FAQ
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Schedule a maintenance window — Option D is correct because, according to vulnerability management best practices, the first step after discovering a critical vulnerability is to schedule a maintenance window to apply a patch or mitigation in a controlled manner. This minimizes service disruption and allows for testing, ensuring the fix does not introduce new issues. Immediate remediation during business hours (Option B) could cause downtime or impact users, while disabling the server (Option A) is an extreme measure reserved for active exploitation with no available patch.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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