- A
Reset the compromised user's password
Correct. Prevents further unauthorized access with stolen credentials.
- B
Update the incident response plan
Why wrong: Plan updates are post-incident.
- C
Conduct a lessons learned meeting
Why wrong: Lessons learned is post-incident, not containment.
- D
Restore the user's machine from backup
Why wrong: Restoration is part of recovery, not initial containment.
- E
Block the phishing domain at the email gateway
Correct. Stops further phishing emails from that source.
Question 801 of 1,000
SSCP Incident Response and Recovery Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of incident response and recovery. 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 analyst is investigating a phishing incident that led to credential theft. Which TWO actions are appropriate during the containment phase? (Select TWO)
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
✓
Reset the compromised user's password
Resetting the compromised user's password (A) immediately invalidates the stolen credentials, preventing the attacker from using them for further unauthorized access. This is a critical containment step because it cuts off the attacker's authenticated session and access to resources like email, VPN, or cloud services. Blocking the phishing domain at the email gateway (E) prevents additional users from receiving the phishing email, reducing the attack surface and stopping the spread of the incident. Both actions directly limit the impact and scope of the breach during the containment phase.
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.
- ✓
Reset the compromised user's password
Why this is correct
Correct. Prevents further unauthorized access with stolen credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Update the incident response plan
Why it's wrong here
Plan updates are post-incident.
- ✗
Conduct a lessons learned meeting
Why it's wrong here
Lessons learned is post-incident, not containment.
- ✗
Restore the user's machine from backup
Why it's wrong here
Restoration is part of recovery, not initial containment.
- ✓
Block the phishing domain at the email gateway
Why this is correct
Correct. Stops further phishing emails from that source.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between containment and recovery phases, trapping candidates who confuse restoring from backup (a recovery action) with immediate containment steps like password resets or blocking malicious infrastructure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Password reset in a domain environment should be performed via Active Directory Users and Computers or PowerShell (e.g., `Set-ADAccountPassword`) to ensure the change propagates to all domain controllers and invalidates Kerberos tickets and NTLM hashes. Blocking the phishing domain at the email gateway typically involves adding the domain to a blocklist in the SMTP filter or using a DNS-based content filter (e.g., Spamhaus or Microsoft 365's threat policies), which prevents any further emails from that domain from reaching inboxes. In a real-world scenario, the analyst should also revoke any active session tokens (e.g., OAuth tokens) to fully lock out the attacker.
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 SSCP question test?
Incident Response and Recovery — This question tests Incident Response and Recovery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Reset the compromised user's password — Resetting the compromised user's password (A) immediately invalidates the stolen credentials, preventing the attacker from using them for further unauthorized access. This is a critical containment step because it cuts off the attacker's authenticated session and access to resources like email, VPN, or cloud services. Blocking the phishing domain at the email gateway (E) prevents additional users from receiving the phishing email, reducing the attack surface and stopping the spread of the incident. Both actions directly limit the impact and scope of the breach during the containment phase.
What should I do if I get this SSCP 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 SSCP 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 SSCP exam.
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