- A
Disable user accounts associated with compromised systems.
Why wrong: Account disabling is important but network isolation is faster to stop movement.
- B
Isolate the affected systems by disconnecting them from the network.
Correct. Network isolation prevents the attacker from moving to other systems.
- C
Block the attacker's IP addresses at the perimeter firewall.
Why wrong: Lateral movement is internal; perimeter blocking may not help.
- D
Reimage all compromised systems immediately.
Why wrong: Reimaging is part of recovery, not initial containment.
Question 970 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 team detects lateral movement within the network. Which containment strategy should be applied first to limit the spread of the threat?
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.
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
✓
Isolate the affected systems by disconnecting them from the network.
Isolating affected systems by disconnecting them from the network is the immediate priority because it physically or logically severs the attacker's ability to propagate laterally via SMB, RDP, or other network protocols. This containment step stops the spread without destroying forensic evidence, which would be lost if systems were reimaged or powered off prematurely.
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.
- ✗
Disable user accounts associated with compromised systems.
Why it's wrong here
Account disabling is important but network isolation is faster to stop movement.
- ✓
Isolate the affected systems by disconnecting them from the network.
Why this is correct
Correct. Network isolation prevents the attacker from moving to other systems.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Block the attacker's IP addresses at the perimeter firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Lateral movement is internal; perimeter blocking may not help.
- ✗
Reimage all compromised systems immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging is part of recovery, not initial containment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that blocking external IPs or disabling accounts is sufficient for containment, when in fact internal lateral movement requires immediate network-level isolation of the compromised host.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Network isolation can be achieved by disabling the switch port (using SNMP or CLI commands like 'shutdown' on the interface), unplugging the Ethernet cable, or applying a host-based firewall rule to drop all inbound/outbound traffic except to a forensic collection server. In a real-world scenario, an attacker using PsExec or WMI for lateral movement would be immediately blocked once the network interface is disabled, as those tools rely on SMB (TCP/445) and RPC (TCP/135).
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 SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
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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Incident Response and Recovery — study guide chapter
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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: Isolate the affected systems by disconnecting them from the network. — Isolating affected systems by disconnecting them from the network is the immediate priority because it physically or logically severs the attacker's ability to propagate laterally via SMB, RDP, or other network protocols. This containment step stops the spread without destroying forensic evidence, which would be lost if systems were reimaged or powered off prematurely.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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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