ISC2 CC Business Continuity, DR & Incident Response Practice Question
Which TWO are true about a differential backup? (Select two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the distinction between differential and incremental backups by making candidates confuse 'changed since last full' (differential) with 'changed since last backup of any type' (incremental), and by implying that differential backups reset the archive bit when they do not.
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
✓
It requires a full backup to be restored first
A differential backup copies all files that have changed since the last full backup. Because it does not contain the complete data set, you must first restore the most recent full backup and then apply the differential backup on top of it to recover the system. This makes option B correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It copies files changed since the last backup of any type
Why it's wrong here
That describes an incremental backup.
- ✓
It requires a full backup to be restored first
Why this is correct
The full backup must be restored before applying the differential.
- ✓
It copies files changed since the last full backup
Why this is correct
This is the defining characteristic of differential backups.
- ✗
It resets the archive bit on backed-up files
Why it's wrong here
Resetting the archive bit is done by incremental backups, not differential.
- ✗
It is faster to restore than a full backup
Why it's wrong here
Restoring a differential requires first restoring the full backup, then the differential, so it is slower.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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