The correct first action upon an IDS alert is to investigate the web server at 192.168.1.10. This step is critical because the incident responder must validate whether the alert is a true positive or a false positive before taking any further action. According to the NIST SP 800-61 incident response framework, the initial phase is always alert verification through log analysis, process inspection, and system state review. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this question tests your understanding of the incident response process and the common pitfall of jumping to containment—such as disabling the application or blocking the IP—without confirmation, which can disrupt legitimate services or miss the root cause. A frequent trap is assuming immediate containment is always correct, but the exam emphasizes that verification precedes action. Remember the memory tip: “Verify before you modify”—always confirm the alert’s validity first to avoid unnecessary damage.
ISC2 CC Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response Practice Question
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Investigate the web server at 192.168.1.10
The incident responder must first investigate the web server at 192.168.1.10 to confirm whether the alert is a true positive or a false positive. Jumping to containment actions like disabling the application or blocking the IP without verification could disrupt legitimate services or overlook the root cause. The initial step in any incident response process (as per NIST SP 800-61) is to validate the alert through analysis of logs, processes, and system state.
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.
✗
Disable the web application
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the application is too drastic without confirmation of success.
✗
Block the source IP in firewall
Why it's wrong here
Blocking may be done after investigation, but the priority is to verify impact on the target.
✗
Ignore the alert as false positive
Why it's wrong here
The alert should not be ignored without verification.
✓
Investigate the web server at 192.168.1.10
Why this is correct
Investigating the target server will confirm whether the attack succeeded and what data may be compromised.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" 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
ISC2 often tests the candidate's understanding that the first step in incident response is always to investigate and validate the alert, not to immediately contain or dismiss it, tempting candidates to jump to a reactive action like blocking the IP or disabling the application.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The incident response lifecycle (Preparation, Detection & Analysis, Containment, Eradication, Recovery) places 'Detection & Analysis' before 'Containment'. In practice, the responder should first collect volatile data (e.g., running processes, network connections) from the web server using tools like `ps`, `netstat`, or `lsof` on Linux, or `Get-Process` on Windows, and correlate the alert details with web server logs (e.g., Apache access_log, IIS W3C logs) to confirm malicious activity. A common real-world scenario is a SQL injection alert that turns out to be a legitimate search query with special characters; only after log review can the responder confidently escalate or contain.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CC question in full detail.
Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response — This question tests Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Investigate the web server at 192.168.1.10 — The incident responder must first investigate the web server at 192.168.1.10 to confirm whether the alert is a true positive or a false positive. Jumping to containment actions like disabling the application or blocking the IP without verification could disrupt legitimate services or overlook the root cause. The initial step in any incident response process (as per NIST SP 800-61) is to validate the alert through analysis of logs, processes, and system state.
What should I do if I get this CC question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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