- A
Malware
Why wrong: While malware could cause this, the category is more specifically data exfiltration under unauthorized access.
- B
Denial of service
Why wrong: DoS would involve flooding, not outbound traffic from a server.
- C
Social engineering
Why wrong: Social engineering involves manipulating people, not technical traffic patterns.
- D
Data breach
Unusual outbound encrypted traffic to an unknown IP is a strong indicator of data exfiltration, which is a data breach incident.
Question 335 of 1,000
ISC2 CC Practice Question: Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Incident Response
This CC practice question tests your understanding of business continuity, disaster recovery, and incident response. 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 an incident, the security team detects unusual outbound traffic from a server that normally does not communicate externally. The traffic appears to be encrypted and is sent to an unknown IP address. Which incident category best describes this scenario?
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.
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
✓
Data breach
Unauthorized access or data exfiltration is indicated by unusual outbound traffic to an unknown IP, suggesting a compromised server sending data externally.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Malware
Why it's wrong here
While malware could cause this, the category is more specifically data exfiltration under unauthorized access.
- ✗
Denial of service
Why it's wrong here
DoS would involve flooding, not outbound traffic from a server.
- ✗
Social engineering
Why it's wrong here
Social engineering involves manipulating people, not technical traffic patterns.
- ✓
Data breach
Why this is correct
Unusual outbound encrypted traffic to an unknown IP is a strong indicator of data exfiltration, which is a data breach incident.
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
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which CC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Incident Response — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CC question test?
Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Incident Response — This question tests Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Data breach — Unauthorized access or data exfiltration is indicated by unusual outbound traffic to an unknown IP, suggesting a compromised server sending data externally.
What should I do if I get this CC question wrong?
Identify which CC exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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