- A
Reimage the workstation with a clean OS image and reset all passwords.
Why wrong: Reimaging destroys evidence needed to understand the attack and may not stop the attacker if they have other footholds.
- B
Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to identify any malware or remote access tools.
Forensic analysis can uncover the source of the logins and determine if the workstation is truly compromised.
- C
Increase the password complexity requirements for the domain.
Why wrong: Password complexity does not address the fact that the attempts are from a specific internal workstation at odd hours, indicating a possible compromise.
- D
Immediately block the IP address at the firewall and disable the administrator account.
Why wrong: While containment is important, doing so before investigation may alert the attacker and lose evidence of the compromise.
Quick Answer
The answer is to perform a forensic analysis of the compromised workstation because the pattern of failed logins at 2 AM from a locked, physically secure machine with no antivirus alerts strongly indicates a remote access tool or stealthy malware that standard scans miss. Forensic analysis of a compromised workstation involves imaging the drive and examining memory, registry, and logs to uncover hidden persistence mechanisms, such as scheduled tasks or backdoor services, which is the only way to identify the attacker’s entry point and tooling before containment. On the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity CC exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the incident response process, specifically the identification phase—a common trap is jumping to containment (like disconnecting the network) without first gathering forensic evidence, which can destroy clues. Remember the mnemonic “FADE”: Forensic Analysis before Disconnect or Eradicate, ensuring you preserve the full picture of the compromise.
ISC2 CC Security Operations Practice Question
This CC practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
You are a security analyst at a medium-sized company with 500 employees. The company uses a centralized log management system that collects logs from all servers and network devices. For the past week, you have noticed a pattern: every night at 2:00 AM, a series of failed login attempts occurs on the domain controller from an internal IP address (10.10.50.100). The attempts use the username "Administrator" and are always from the same workstation in the accounting department. The accounting department operates 9 AM to 6 PM, so no one is in the office at 2 AM. You have checked the workstation's physical security; it is in a locked office with access only by authorized accounting staff. The workstation is running Windows 10 with up-to-date antivirus and has no signs of compromise. You also checked the network switch logs and see that the workstation is connected to a specific port. You suspect the workstation might be compromised or being used remotely. What is the most appropriate next step?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"always"Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. An answer using 'always' is only correct if there are genuinely no exceptions — absolute statements are often wrong in networking.
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
Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to identify any malware or remote access tools.
Option B is correct because the pattern of failed logins at 2 AM from a locked workstation with no signs of compromise strongly suggests a remote access tool (RAT) or hidden malware that is not detected by standard antivirus. Forensic analysis of the workstation is the most appropriate next step to identify the specific malware or remote access tool, its persistence mechanism, and the attacker's entry point, which is essential before taking any remediation actions. This aligns with the incident response process of identification and analysis before containment or eradication.
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.
- ✗
Reimage the workstation with a clean OS image and reset all passwords.
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging destroys evidence needed to understand the attack and may not stop the attacker if they have other footholds.
- ✓
Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to identify any malware or remote access tools.
Why this is correct
Forensic analysis can uncover the source of the logins and determine if the workstation is truly compromised.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "always" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the password complexity requirements for the domain.
Why it's wrong here
Password complexity does not address the fact that the attempts are from a specific internal workstation at odd hours, indicating a possible compromise.
- ✗
Immediately block the IP address at the firewall and disable the administrator account.
Why it's wrong here
While containment is important, doing so before investigation may alert the attacker and lose evidence of the compromise.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the candidate's ability to prioritize the incident response process; the trap here is that many candidates jump to containment (reimaging, blocking IP) or prevention (password complexity) without first performing forensic analysis to understand the scope and method of the compromise.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a Windows domain environment, failed login attempts are logged as Event ID 4625 in the Security log, and the source IP address is recorded. The fact that the attempts are from a specific workstation and use the 'Administrator' account suggests the attacker may have deployed a pass-the-hash tool or a RAT that uses cached credentials. Forensic analysis should include checking for scheduled tasks, services, registry run keys, and WMI persistence, as well as examining network connections for outbound C2 traffic, which antivirus may miss if the malware is fileless or uses living-off-the-land binaries.
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 security team runs a vulnerability scan on a web application and discovers an unpatched SQL injection flaw. The team prioritises remediation by CVSS score — critical flaws are patched within 24 hours, high within 7 days. Questions like this test whether you understand vulnerability management processes, scanning tools, and remediation prioritisation.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CC question test?
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Perform a forensic analysis of the workstation to identify any malware or remote access tools. — Option B is correct because the pattern of failed logins at 2 AM from a locked workstation with no signs of compromise strongly suggests a remote access tool (RAT) or hidden malware that is not detected by standard antivirus. Forensic analysis of the workstation is the most appropriate next step to identify the specific malware or remote access tool, its persistence mechanism, and the attacker's entry point, which is essential before taking any remediation actions. This aligns with the incident response process of identification and analysis before containment or eradication.
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: "always". Absolute qualifier. An answer using 'always' is only correct if there are genuinely no exceptions — absolute statements are often wrong in networking.
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: 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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