Quick Answer
The answer is to capture a memory image of the workstation for analysis. This is the next step because volatile data in RAM—such as running processes, active network connections, and malware payloads—will be permanently lost if the system is shut down or rebooted. Following the order of volatility (RFC 3227), memory acquisition must occur immediately after isolation to preserve the most fragile evidence. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this scenario tests your understanding of forensic procedure and incident response priorities; a common trap is choosing to “reboot the system” or “run an antivirus scan,” which would destroy the very evidence needed to trace the attack. Remember the mnemonic “Isolate, then Image”—isolation stops the spread, but imaging captures the story.
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 phishing investigation, a security analyst identifies that an employee clicked a malicious link. The analyst isolates the workstation. What is the NEXT best step?
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.
Capture a memory image of the workstation for analysis
Memory forensics can reveal running malware.
Update the company's acceptable use policy
Why wrong: Policy changes are long-term.
Notify all employees about phishing risks
Why wrong: Communication is important but not the immediate next step.
Reimage the workstation
Why wrong: Reimaging should be done after evidence collection.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Capture a memory image of the workstation for analysis
After isolating the workstation, the next best step is to capture a memory image (RAM) to preserve volatile evidence such as running processes, network connections, and malware artifacts that would be lost on shutdown. This follows the order of volatility (RFC 3227) and is critical for forensic analysis to determine the scope of the compromise.
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.
Capture a memory image of the workstation for analysis
Why this is correct
Memory forensics can reveal running malware.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Update the company's acceptable use policy
Why it's wrong here
Policy changes are long-term.
Notify all employees about phishing risks
Why it's wrong here
Communication is important but not the immediate next step.
Reimage the workstation
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging should be done after evidence collection.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the order of volatility (RFC 3227) and the principle that volatile data (memory) must be captured before non-volatile data (disk), so the trap here is that candidates may choose to reimage the workstation immediately to 'clean' it, not realizing that destroys forensic evidence needed for attribution and prevention.
Detailed technical explanation
Memory acquisition tools like FTK Imager, LiME, or WinPmem capture the full contents of RAM, including decrypted payloads, injected code, and active network sockets. In a phishing scenario, the malicious link may have launched a PowerShell script or a downloader that only exists in memory, so a disk-only analysis would miss the initial infection vector. Real-world incident response often involves capturing a memory image before powering off the system to comply with the order of volatility and to preserve evidence for legal proceedings.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
An employee at a financial services firm receives an email that appears to come from the IT helpdesk, asking them to reset their password via a link. The link leads to a convincing fake portal that harvests credentials. Security teams use phishing simulations and security-awareness training to reduce this attack vector. Questions like this test whether you can identify social engineering techniques and appropriate controls.
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: Capture a memory image of the workstation for analysis — After isolating the workstation, the next best step is to capture a memory image (RAM) to preserve volatile evidence such as running processes, network connections, and malware artifacts that would be lost on shutdown. This follows the order of volatility (RFC 3227) and is critical for forensic analysis to determine the scope of the compromise.
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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