ISC2 CC Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response Practice Question
Which THREE are primary phases of the incident response lifecycle?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between primary phases and supporting activities, so candidates mistakenly select 'Forensic Analysis' or 'Data Archiving' as primary phases when they are actually tasks performed within the Containment or Post-Incident phases.
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
✓
Containment
Containment is a primary phase of the incident response lifecycle because it focuses on stopping the spread of an incident and preventing further damage. In the NIST SP 800-61 framework, containment is explicitly listed as a core phase, following detection and analysis. This phase includes actions such as isolating affected systems, blocking malicious IPs via ACLs, or disabling compromised accounts to limit the blast radius.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Containment
Why this is correct
Containment phase limits damage and prevents spread.
- ✗
Forensic Analysis
Why it's wrong here
Forensic analysis is an activity within the investigation phase.
- ✓
Preparation
Why this is correct
Preparation phase includes training, tooling, and planning.
- ✗
Data Archiving
Why it's wrong here
Data archiving is a separate process, not a primary phase.
- ✓
Detection
Why this is correct
Detection phase involves identifying potential incidents.
Quick reference
AAA Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port(s) | Encryption | Transport | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RADIUS | 1812 / 1813 | Password only | UDP | Network access control |
| TACACS+ | 49 | Full packet | TCP | Device administration |
| Diameter | 3868 | Full session | TCP / SCTP | Carrier / mobile networks |
| 802.1X | — | EAP-based | Layer 2 | Port-based access control |
TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet; RADIUS only encrypts the password field — a key exam distinction.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Incident Response and Management
Key term
Incident
An incident is a security event that violates an organization's policies or threatens its data, systems, or operations, requiring a structured response.
Key term
Detection
Detection is the process of identifying potential security incidents or anomalies by analyzing system data, logs, and network traffic.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.