Quick Answer
The answer is to capture a memory dump first. This is correct because volatile data in RAM—such as running processes, active network connections, encryption keys, and live malware—is the most transient and critical evidence; if the server is powered down or any other action is taken first, this data is irretrievably lost. For the CISSP exam, this tests your understanding of the order of volatility principle, a core concept in forensic investigations that dictates you must collect the most volatile data before anything else. A common trap is thinking you should image the hard drive first, but that would destroy the memory state. Remember the mnemonic: "RAM before ROM" or simply "Volatile first"—always capture memory before pulling the plug.
This CISSP practice question tests your understanding of security operations. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During a forensic investigation, the team needs to preserve evidence from a running server. What is the FIRST step the team should take?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Capture a memory dump.
Preserves volatile evidence critical for analysis.
Create a disk image.
Why wrong: Disk imaging should follow memory capture to avoid overwriting unallocated space.
Shut down the server normally.
Why wrong: Loses volatile memory and may destroy evidence.
Unplug the network cable.
Why wrong: Prevents remote tampering but still loses memory if power off.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Capture a memory dump.
The first step in a forensic investigation of a running server is to capture a memory dump because volatile data (RAM) contains critical evidence such as running processes, network connections, encryption keys, and malware that would be lost if the system is powered off or altered. Preserving this volatile state before any other action ensures that the most transient evidence is secured, following the order of volatility principle. Capturing memory first prevents irreversible loss of data that cannot be recovered from disk or network captures.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Capture a memory dump.
Why this is correct
Preserves volatile evidence critical for analysis.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Create a disk image.
Why it's wrong here
Disk imaging should follow memory capture to avoid overwriting unallocated space.
Shut down the server normally.
Why it's wrong here
Loses volatile memory and may destroy evidence.
Unplug the network cable.
Why it's wrong here
Prevents remote tampering but still loses memory if power off.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the urgency of preserving volatile data with the desire to immediately isolate the system from the network, leading them to choose unplugging the network cable first, but the correct forensic priority is to capture the most volatile evidence (memory) before any network or power actions.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, memory acquisition tools like LiME (Linux Memory Extractor) or WinPmem use kernel-level drivers to read physical memory pages directly, bypassing the OS to ensure a forensically sound copy. The order of volatility (OOV) is a foundational forensic principle defined in RFC 3227, which prioritizes capturing CPU registers, routing tables, and ARP cache before disk data. In a real-world scenario, failing to capture memory first could lose evidence of a rootkit that only resides in RAM, such as a direct kernel object manipulation (DKOM) attack, which would be invisible on disk.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Capture a memory dump. — The first step in a forensic investigation of a running server is to capture a memory dump because volatile data (RAM) contains critical evidence such as running processes, network connections, encryption keys, and malware that would be lost if the system is powered off or altered. Preserving this volatile state before any other action ensures that the most transient evidence is secured, following the order of volatility principle. Capturing memory first prevents irreversible loss of data that cannot be recovered from disk or network captures.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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