- A
Data breach
Data breaches are a key incident type.
- B
Malware
Malware infections are a common category.
- C
Social engineering
Why wrong: Also common, but not selected here.
- D
Unauthorized access
Why wrong: While common, the question only asks for three; we selected others.
- E
Denial of Service (DoS)
DoS is a standard incident category.
Question 455 of 1,000
CISSP Security Operations Practice Question
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security operations. 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.
A security manager is reviewing incident categories for inclusion in the incident response plan. Which THREE of the following are common incident categories? (Select THREE.)
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
✓
Data breach
A data breach is a common incident category because it involves the unauthorized access and exfiltration of sensitive information, such as personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI). In incident response, data breaches require specific containment and notification procedures under regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, making them a distinct category for legal and forensic reasons.
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.
- ✓
Data breach
Why this is correct
Data breaches are a key incident type.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Malware
Why this is correct
Malware infections are a common category.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Social engineering
Why it's wrong here
Also common, but not selected here.
- ✗
Unauthorized access
Why it's wrong here
While common, the question only asks for three; we selected others.
- ✓
Denial of Service (DoS)
Why this is correct
DoS is a standard incident category.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse attack vectors (like social engineering) or general states (like unauthorized access) with formal incident categories, which are defined by the type of impact (e.g., data loss, service disruption) rather than the method of intrusion.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Incident categories in the NIST SP 800-61 framework include categories such as Denial of Service (DoS), Malware, and Data Breach, each with distinct response playbooks. For example, a DoS incident might involve analyzing traffic patterns using tools like tcpdump or netstat to identify amplification attacks (e.g., NTP or DNS reflection), while a malware incident requires isolating the host via network segmentation and analyzing artifacts with YARA rules. Data breaches often trigger chain-of-custody procedures and legal holds, differing from the immediate mitigation focus of DoS or malware incidents.
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
An employee at a financial services firm receives an email that appears to come from the IT helpdesk, asking them to reset their password via a link. The link leads to a convincing fake portal that harvests credentials. Security teams use phishing simulations and security-awareness training to reduce this attack vector. Questions like this test whether you can identify social engineering techniques and appropriate controls.
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 CISSP 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: Data breach — A data breach is a common incident category because it involves the unauthorized access and exfiltration of sensitive information, such as personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI). In incident response, data breaches require specific containment and notification procedures under regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, making them a distinct category for legal and forensic reasons.
What should I do if I get this CISSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Jul 4, 2026
This CISSP 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 CISSP exam.
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