Quick Answer
The answer is reviewing system logs for anomalies. This action is appropriate during the identification phase because it directly supports the primary goal of detecting and confirming that an incident is occurring; system logs reveal indicators of compromise such as unusual process execution or bursts of failed logins, which are classic signs of an active threat. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this question tests your understanding of the incident response lifecycle, specifically that identification is about detection and triage, not containment or eradication. A common trap is confusing identification with analysis—remember, you first spot the anomaly in logs before you investigate deeper. Think of it as the “first alert” stage: you are not yet containing the fire, you are simply noticing the smoke. A useful memory tip is “Logs first, then alerts”—if you see a suspicious log entry, you have entered the identification phase.
This CC practice question tests your understanding of business continuity, dr & 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.
Which TWO actions are appropriate during the identification phase of incident response?
Conduct a post-mortem analysis.
Why wrong: Post-mortem occurs after incident resolution.
Correlate alerts from multiple sources.
Alert correlation aids in identifying incidents.
Review system logs for anomalies.
Log review helps identify potential incidents.
Restore data from backups.
Why wrong: Restoration is part of recovery phase.
Disconnect affected systems from the network.
Why wrong: This is a containment action, not identification.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Correlate alerts from multiple sources.
During the identification phase of incident response, the goal is to detect and confirm that an incident is occurring. Correlating alerts from multiple sources (e.g., IDS/IPS logs, firewall logs, and endpoint detection) helps reduce false positives and provides a clearer picture of the attack chain. Reviewing system logs for anomalies is a core detection technique that can reveal indicators of compromise (IoCs) such as unusual process execution or failed login bursts.
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.
Conduct a post-mortem analysis.
Why it's wrong here
Post-mortem occurs after incident resolution.
Correlate alerts from multiple sources.
Why this is correct
Alert correlation aids in identifying incidents.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Review system logs for anomalies.
Why this is correct
Log review helps identify potential incidents.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Restore data from backups.
Why it's wrong here
Restoration is part of recovery phase.
Disconnect affected systems from the network.
Why it's wrong here
This is a containment action, not identification.
Common exam traps
ISC2 often tests the distinction between identification and containment, so the trap here is that candidates mistake disconnecting systems (a containment step) for an identification action, when in fact identification must occur first to confirm the incident.
Detailed technical explanation
Alert correlation often involves SIEM tools that aggregate logs via syslog or API from sources like Windows Event Log (Event ID 4625 for failed logins) and network flow data (NetFlow/IPFIX). During identification, analysts may also use YARA rules to scan memory for known malware patterns or check DNS logs for suspicious domain generation algorithm (DGA) queries. A real-world scenario: correlating a spike in SMB traffic with a Windows Event ID 5140 (network share access) can pinpoint a ransomware lateral movement attempt before encryption begins.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
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FAQ
Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response — This question tests Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Correlate alerts from multiple sources. — During the identification phase of incident response, the goal is to detect and confirm that an incident is occurring. Correlating alerts from multiple sources (e.g., IDS/IPS logs, firewall logs, and endpoint detection) helps reduce false positives and provides a clearer picture of the attack chain. Reviewing system logs for anomalies is a core detection technique that can reveal indicators of compromise (IoCs) such as unusual process execution or failed login bursts.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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